This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Practices and Beliefs

David C. Grossman, MD, MPH; Kären Mang; Frederick P. Rivara, MD, MPH

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1995;149(9):973-977.

Abstract
Objective
To ascertain and compare beliefs, attitudes, and counseling practices of primary care physicians of children and adolescents regarding firearm injury prevention counseling.

Design
Cross-sectional survey.

Setting
State of Washington.

Subjects
All active members of the state chapters of the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Family Physicians. A total of 979 pediatricians and family physicians (53%) responded to the survey after two mailings.

Main Outcome Measures
Attitudes, beliefs, and current practices with regard to firearm safety counseling among families of child and adolescent patients.

Results
Only 25% of pediatricians and 12% of family physicians currently counsel more than 5% of their patients. Pediatricians were more likely than family physicians (70% vs 46%, P<.001, ² test) to believe that physicians have a responsibility to counsel families about firearm safety. Pediatricians recommended removing guns from the home more frequently than family physicians (32% vs 19%, P<.001, ² test), but most physicians of both specialties perceived that parents are rarely receptive to this advice. However, 97% of physicians from both specialties agreed that firearms should be stored locked separately from ammunition, and a substantial majority believed that parents would be receptive to this advice. Compared with physicians who owned guns (32%), nonowners were 15 times more likely (odds ratio, 15; 95% confidence interval, 10 to 23) to agree that families with children should not keep firearms in the home.

Conclusions
Few primary care physicians who see children and adolescents currently counsel families about firearm safety, although many agree that they have such a responsibility. At least half of these physicians would potentially benefit from an intervention to improve their knowledge of and counseling skills on this topic.

(Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1995;149:973-977)

Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Pediatrics (Drs Grossman and Rivara), Health Services (Dr Grossman), and Epidemiology (Dr Rivara) and the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center (Drs Grossman and Rivara and Ms Mang), University of Washington, Seattle.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Recent psychopathology, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts in households with and without firearms: findings from the National Comorbidity Study Replication
Miller et al.
Inj. Prev. 2009;15:183-187.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Children and Firearms in the Home: A Southwestern Ohio Ambulatory Research Network (SOAR-Net) Study
Forbis et al.
J Am Board Fam Med 2007;20:385-391.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Pediatricians' involvement in gun injury prevention
Olson et al.
Inj. Prev. 2007;13:99-104.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Pediatric Residents' Attitudes and Behaviors Related to Counseling Adolescents and Their Parents About Firearm Safety
Solomon et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2002;156:769-775.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Pediatrician Counseling About Preventive Health Topics: Results From the Physicians' Practices Survey, 1998-1999
Galuska et al.
Pediatrics 2002;109:e83-83.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Evidence in Upheaval: Incorporating Observational Data Into Clinical Practice
Ray
Arch Intern Med 2002;162:249-254.
FULL TEXT  

Attitudes of New York City High School Students Regarding Firearm Violence
Kahn et al.
Pediatrics 2001;107:1125-1132.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Serious Firearm Injury Prevention Does Make Sense
Laraque et al.
Pediatrics 2001;107:408-410.
FULL TEXT  

Randomized Trial of Enhanced Anticipatory Guidance for Injury Prevention
Gielen et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2001;155:42-49.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Adolescent Violence Prevention Practices Among California Pediatricians
Chaffee et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2000;154:1034-1041.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Firearm Safety Counseling in Primary Care Pediatrics: A Randomized, Controlled Trial
Grossman et al.
Pediatrics 2000;106:22-26.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Poison Prevention Counseling: A Comparison Between Family Practitioners and Pediatricians
Gerard et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2000;154:65-70.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Predicting Clinician Injury Prevention Counseling for Young Children
Barkin et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1999;153:1226-1231.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

National Survey of Pediatricians' Violence Prevention Counseling
Borowsky and Ireland
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1999;153:1170-1176.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Firearm Injury Prevention Counseling: Are We Missing the Mark?
Becher and Christakis
Pediatrics 1999;104:530-535.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Barriers to pediatric injury prevention counseling
Cohen and Runyan
Inj. Prev. 1999;5:36-40.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Smoking Gun: Do Clinicians Follow Guidelines on Firearm Safety Counseling?
Barkin et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1998;152:749-756.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Pediatric Injury Prevention: Preparing Residents for Patient Counseling
Wright
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1997;151:1039-1043.
ABSTRACT  

Pediatricians' Experience With and Attitudes Toward Firearms: Results of a National Survey
Olson et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1997;151:352-359.
ABSTRACT  

Training in Firearm Safety Counseling in Pediatric Residency Programs
Price et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1997;151:306-310.
ABSTRACT  

Prevention Dollars and Sense
Joffe
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1995;149:1203-1204.
ABSTRACT