117 - Community Firearm Violence and Storage: How Parental Perceptions Compare with Reality

Poster Number: 117
Publication Number: 117.329

Liam Murphy, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States; Sandra McKay, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Missouri City, TX, United States; Sheela Gavvala, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States; Zoabe Hafeez, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States

Background: Gun violence is the second leading cause of death of children in the US, and Harris County firearm fatality rate is above the national averages. Understanding firearm owners’ perception of gun violence and firearm storage habits is key to gun safety research.

Objective: To understand current firearm storage habits and evaluate if the perceptions of gun violence align with its reality in Harris County.

Design/Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted via anonymously surveying parents presenting to UT Physicians Pediatric Primary Care. Fisher's Exact Test (STATA 16.1) was used to compare community prevalence of gun violence and reported safe firearm storage. Data for gun violence incidence leading to hospital system visit was obtained from Memorial Hermann Hospital System. Both were approved separately by UTHealth IRB. Mapping was done using qGIS 13.6.

Results: 128 surveys were returned, with 26% of participating parents being gun owners. Firearm owners had an average of 2 children, with an average age of 5.8 years (range 3 days - 18 years). 19% of firearm owners reported storing their firearms in unsafe manners (Figure 1). Most respondents felt the prevalence of gun violence in their community was not concerning, with 46% reporting gun violence is “not at all” and 23% reporting it is “a little” prevalent. Additionally, 70% of parents did “not at all” believe their children were at risk of gun violence. There was no association found between those who believe that gun violence is prevalent in the community and those who safely store their firearm.Zip code comparisons demonstrated areas with reports of no prevalence or risk to gun violence, however higher incidence of gun violence present in the last year. County mapping showed the zip code, 77004 in central Houston, had 5 gun violence events, the most in the city, while polling among the lowest on perceived risk of children to gun violence (Figure 2 & 3).Only a quarter of our guardians reported a physician asking about gun ownership with 12% of families receiving safe storage counseling.Conclusion(s): The perception of safety exists despite a high rate of gun violence within Harris County. Furthermore, beliefs on prevalence of gun violence and risk to their children do not seem to be associated with gun storage habits.
Parents reports' of low levels of storage counseling at the clinic coupled with perceptions of low risk could contribute to unsafe storage habits. Communities need to be further educated on the prevalence of gun violence, its potential dangers to their children, and the importance of safe gun storage habits in prevention.
Liam Murphy CV (2022).pdf
Figure 2. Children at Risk and Gun Violence Overlaid