1. The United States has a very high rate of firearm death

Using recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO), this paper provides striking evidence on the size of the U.S. problems of gun homicide, overall homicide, gun suicide, and unintentional gun death compared to other advanced countries—for both genders and every age group.

Richardson, Erin G; Hemenway, David. Homicide, suicide and unintentional firearm fatality: comparing the United States with other high-income countries, 2003. Journal of Trauma, 2011; 70:238-43.


2. The risks of a gun in the home typically far outweigh the benefits

This article summarizes the scientific literature on the health risks and benefits of having a gun in the home for the gun owner and his/her family and concludes that for most contemporary Americans, the health risk of a gun in the home is greater than the benefit

Hemenway, David. Risks and benefits of a gun in the home. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine  2011; 5:502-511.


3. More guns, more violent death.

This book chapter summarizes the scientific literature on the relationship between levels of household gun ownership and violent death.  It also shows that the majority of  suicides for all age groups, and homicides for children and aging adults, occur at home.

Miller, Matthew; Azrael, Deborah; Hemenway, David.  Firearms and violent death in the United States.  In: Webster DW, Vernick JS, eds.  Reducing Gun Violence in America Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013.

4. Better mental health treatment may help but effective legislation is crucial to reduce gun violence.           

This editorial, in a leading psychiatric journal  makes the case that effective legislation, including universal background checks, is urgently needed, and could substantially reduce our country’s firearms death toll.

Brent, David; Miller, Matthew; Loeber, Rolf; Mulvey, Edward P; Birmaher, Boris. Ending the silence on gun violence. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 2013; 52:333-38.