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Unintentional firearm injuries

Quick facts
  •  In 2023, unintentional firearm injuries and deaths made up for 3.68% of all firearm deaths (NIHCM, 2024). 
  • There are approximately 27,000 unintentional firearm injuries and 500 unintentional firearm deaths per year in the U.S. (CDC, 2020).
  • People living in the U.S. are four times more likely to die from an unintentional firearm injury than residents of other high-income countries (Solnick & Hemenway, 2019).
  • 67% of unintentional firearm deaths involve a handgun (Johnson et al., 2006).

Overview

Unintentional firearm injuries result from being shot by a firearm without evidence of intentional harm (CDC, 2022). Although unintentional firearm injuries happen less often than firearm homicide or suicide, they are not ‘accidents,’ as they can be prevented. 

Unintentional firearm injuries can be either fatal or nonfatal and can be self-inflicted or inflicted by others. These injuries may occur when an individual incorrectly believes that a firearm is not loaded, mistakes a firearm for a toy, has not received adequate firearm training or is hunting (Solnick and Hemenway, 2019). Firearm owners may be liable if firearms are not stored securely and are accessible by youth (C.R.S.  §18-12-108.7. Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S.) are posted on the Colorado Legal Resources Public Access Website). 

Unintentional firearm injuries most often occur among men under the age of 35 (CDC, 2020) and can increase when children are more likely to be at home (e.g., on the weekend, during summer, and during the COVID-19 pandemic) (EFSGV, 2021). The risk of unintentional firearm injuries further increases in those with cognitive impairments, such as dementia (Pinholt et al., 2014; Betz et al., 2018), and those who consume alcohol or other substances that hinder cognitive functioning (McGinty and Webster, 2017).

The scope of the problem in Colorado 

All ages, races, ethnicities, and geographic locations are at risk of unintentional firearm injury and death. However, In Colorado and the U.S., most unintentional firearm discharges victimize children and result in injury rather than death. Limit data exist on nonfatal firearm injuries, but it is estimated that 25.3 of 100,000 individuals presenting to emergency departments do so for firearm-related injuries (Gani et al., 2017). From 2016-2021, there were 43 unintentional firearm deaths in Colorado, 93% among males. Of these deaths, 11.6% were among children under the age of 9 (CDPHE, 2022).

Prevention approaches

Unintentional firearm injuries can be prevented by ensuring firearms are stored securely at all times. Secure storage involves locking firearms, storing ammunition separately, and/or ensuring that each household member with a firearm understands firearm safety measures.

Policies and prevention efforts designed to limit the availability of alcohol or address alcohol misuse can reduce the risk of handling firearms under the influence and increase the probability that firearms are stored securely (Nordstrom et al., 2001).

More than one-third of adolescents living in homes with firearms report being able to access a firearm, even when parents and caregivers believe it is stored hidden or securely (Salhi et al., 2021). State-level Child Access Prevention Laws seek to reduce unauthorized firearm access by youth and thereby reduce unintentional firearm injuries. Project ChildSafe and Be SMART For Kids seek to educate parents and families about strategies for reducing youth’s access to firearms.

Healthcare providers can also provide universal lethal means safety counseling, helping firearm owners understand precautions they can take to prevent unintentional injuries among all members of their home including youth (CDC, 2022) and adults with cognitive impairments (Betz et al., 2018). 
 

References

  1. Betz, M.E., McCourt, A.D., Vernick, J.S., Ranney, M.L., Maust, D.T. and Wintemute, G.J., 2018. Firearms and dementia: clinical considerations. Annals of Internal Medicine, 169(1), pp.47-49.
  2. CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). 2022. Fast Facts: Firearm Violence Prevention. Accessed August 13, 2023. 
  3. CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). 2020. WONDER: Underlying Cause of Death, 1999-2020. Accessed September 29, 2023. 
  4. CDPHE (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment). 2022. Fact Sheet: Firearm Deaths in Colorado 2016-2021. Accessed September 10, 2023. 
  5. ESGFGV (The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence). Unintentional Shootings. 2021. Accessed August 13, 2023. 
  6. Gani, F., Sakran, J.V. and Canner, J.K., 2017. Emergency department visits for firearm-related injuries in the United States, 2006–14. Health Affairs, 36(10), pp.1729-1738.
  7. Johnson, R.M., Miller, M., Vriniotis, M., Azrael, D. and Hemenway, D., 2006. Are household firearms stored less safely in homes with adolescents?: Analysis of a national random sample of parents. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, 160(8): 788-792.
  8. McGinty, E.E. and Webster, D.W., 2017. The roles of alcohol and drugs in firearm violence. JAMA Internal Medicine, 177(3), pp.324-325.
  9. Nordstrom, D.L., Zwerling, C., Stromquist, A.M., Burmeister, L.F., Merchant, J.A. 2001. Rural population survey of behavioral and demographic risk factors for loaded firearms. Injury Prevention. doi:10.1136/ip.7.2.112
  10. Pinholt, E.M., Mitchell, J.D., Butler, J.H. and Kumar, H., 2014. “Is there a gun in the home?” Assessing the risks of gun ownership in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 62(6), pp.1142-1146.
  11. Salhi, C., Azrael, D. and Miller, M., 2021. Parent and adolescent reports of adolescent access to household firearms in the United States. JAMA Network Open, 4(3), pp.e210989-e210989.
  12. Solnick, S. J., & Hemenway, D. (2019). Unintentional firearm deaths in the United States 2005–2015. Injury epidemiology, 6, 1-7.