The Shocking Impacts of gun violence on public health 
By: Serena Ray


What is the Role of Gun Violence in Public Health? 

    When examining different contributors that impact public health in America, gun violence may not be the first one to come to mind. We all know that other relevant matters such as vaccinations, COVID-19 rates, and health equity are those that are extremely relevant to the public health sector. However, in the landscape of 2023, gun violence is on a jarring rise, impacting communities throughout all of the United States. Coming in many forms, gun violence reveals itself to be a deadly and shockingly relevant demise or source of violence for many Americans, serving as the leading cause of premature death in the United States. To examine the true impacts and the varying repercussions that it can have on multiple communities and ethnic groups, both socially and environmentally, we have to understand the root causes that have led to this catastrophic influence.  
    According to the American Public Health Association, more than 39,000 people in the United States die as a result of gun violence, with many suffering fatal injuries. Particularly, gun violence most adversely impacts minorities, with the Latino, African American, and LGBTQ+ communities having the highest rates of gun violence when compared to white men and women. This, however, is not a new trend. Historically, gun violence rates have impacted Black men faster than any other ethnic group, with growth rates of up to 48% since 2019. This targeted violence opens up the door to many other detriments associated with gun violence, such as unequal application of the law, the apparent sense of underinvestment in communities, rising extremism and racism, and unequal access to healthcare. 
Beyond demographics, gun violence also has a considerable effect on mental health. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young adults, and three-fifths of gun deaths are accounted to firearms. One thing that is critical to understand, especially when considering the sources of gun violence is that mental health illness is not the cause of gun violence. The majority of people with mental illness do not engage in violence against others and are instead more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators. In addition to this, the sociological implications that come into play with the extremely detrimental event of a mass shooting are immeasurable. Many Americans live in fear of the ongoing crisis of gun violence and its prevalence in today's time. In a recent report by Pew Research, it was discovered that 57% of teens say they are worried about the possibility of a school shooting. It is obvious that school shootings, gun violence, and the lack of gun violence prevention is an apparent problem. 

Why does this happen? 
    Although it may seem simple, gun violence and the causes of gun violence aren’t easy to track. Gun violence is often linked to historically disinvested communities, lack of surveillance, discrimination as well and lack of protections for gun sales. Places with high poverty, high rates of unemployment, income inequality, and lack of investment are spatially correlated to having the highest rates of violence. Socioeconomic divides fuel the gun violence crisis and are unfortunately engraved in the fabric of America and American culture. Lack of policy change, background checks, and investment in marginalized communities allows for this issue to keep taking place again, again, and again. To see a change, it is important to take a rural-urban approach by increasing equity in healthcare as well as transportation access, as well as working to prevent systematic and societal discrimination. Ultimately, it is not as simple as just “ending gun violence”, it breaks down to “ending discrimination.” Promoting research among significant health organizations is a key to furthering education as well as expanding our knowledge about gun violence and how we can take a more proactive approach. Through doing this, we can enact mindful and impactful change through policies that advocate for the protection of our society, not firearms. 

The bottom line: 
Gun violence has become an epidemic in the United States. Beyond the surface level, gun violence is culturally ingrained in America, and it feels as though sometimes it is an impossible battle. However, with collaboration, mobilization, and education, communities can come together to take a stand against gun violence. We must work to advocate for public health policies and funding that improve research on gun violence, as well as support common sense gun laws for the protection of our community. 

Note: Gun Violence and gun violence prevention is a very serious and very complicated issue that can be difficult to address with one article. To stay informed and learn more about this issue, check out some of the resources below.