Physicians must ask patients about guns, counsel them on safe firearm behaviors, and take further action when an imminent hazard is present, ACP says.
Doctors from the American College of Physicians (ACP) are urging their colleagues to make a public commitment to talk with their patients about guns, emphasizing their call to action by inviting fellow clinicians to take an online pledge.
In the wake of the Las Vegas shooting that killed more than 50 people, Congress and the White House have abdicated their responsibility to address firearm violence, wrote Garen Wintemute, MD, MPH, from the Violence Prevention Program at UC Davis, in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
"But there is a critically important and beneficial action that we physicians can take, right now and on our own initiative," Wintemute added. "Fundamentally, it's quite simple. We need to ask our patients about firearms, counsel them on safe firearm behaviors, and take further action when an imminent hazard is present."
Related: FL Physician Says Asking About Guns Worth the Risk
Furthermore, the notion that it's illegal for clinicians to ask patients about guns is a myth, he noted.
And physicians are well-positioned to intervene when there's a risk for gun violence, as evidence shows that people who commit firearm violence often have well-recognized risk factors, including:
- Abuse of alcohol
- Abuse of controlled substances
- Acute injury
- History of violence (including suicide attempt)
- Poorly controlled severe mental illness
- An abusive partner
- Serious life stressors
"The relationship between fatal violence and recent contact with a health professional is clearest for people who commit suicide," Wintemute wrote. "As many as 45% have seen their primary care provider within a month of their deaths."
In an accompanying editorial, Christine Laine, MD, MPH, and Darren B. Taichman, MD, PhD, supported these ideas, emphasizing the need for physicians to educate themselves on the subject if necessary.
"Feeling uncomfortable about how to talk with patients about guns is not a reason to shy away," they wrote. "Read when and how to do it. Let's start now. Too many of our patients are in danger. This simply cannot wait."
In a separate announcement, the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) called for government action.
"As with all public health crises, federal and state governments must thoughtfully deliberate and boldly act on the best ways to address and deter the increasingly deadly problem of gun violence in America," they wrote.
"NAEMSP urges Congress to advance bipartisan solutions and consider reasoned input from private industry and diverse stakeholders."
Debra Shute is the Senior Physicians Editor for HealthLeaders Media.