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Understanding the Role of Law in Reducing Firearm Injury through Clinical Interventions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 January 2021

Blake N. Shultz ,
Carolyn T. Lye ,
Gail D'Onofrio ,
Abbe R. Gluck ,
Jonathan Miller ,
Katherine L. Kraschel  and
Megan L. Ranney
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Abstract

Firearm injury in the United States is a public health crisis in which physicians are uniquely situated to intervene. However, their ability to mitigate harm is limited by a complex array of laws and regulations that shape their role in firearm injury prevention. This piece uses four clinical scenarios to illustrate how these laws and regulations impact physician practice, including patient counseling, injury reporting, and the use of court orders and involuntary holds. Unintended consequences on clinical practice of laws intended to reduce firearm injury are also discussed. Lessons drawn from these cases suggest that physicians require more nuanced education on this topic, and that policymakers should consult front-line healthcare providers when designing firearm policies.

Type
Online Articles
Information
Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics , Volume 48 , Issue S4: Gun Violence in America: An Interdisciplinary Examination , Winter 2020 , pp. 146 - 154
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics 2020

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