TY - JOUR
T1 - Pediatric Providers' Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, and Barriers to Firearms Safety Counseling
AU - Bhalakia, Avni M.
AU - DeMello, Annalyn
AU - Beckworth, Kristen
AU - Johnson, Brittany
AU - Naik-Mathuria, Bindi
PY - 2021/10/1
Y1 - 2021/10/1
N2 - OBJECTIVES: Firearms-related injuries and deaths are a leading cause of death in children and young adults ages 5 to 24 years. This study evaluated the counseling practices and barriers to providing safe firearms storage education by pediatricians and advance practice providers. METHODS: An online survey was sent to 296 pediatric outpatient providers in Houston, Texas. Pediatric providers were asked about demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and current practices regarding firearms safety counseling. Descriptive and comparative analyses were performed. RESULTS: Survey respondents (N = 76) were 86% women and 87% physicians. Most (86%) agree that they should discuss firearms safety with parents, whereas only 32% report routine counseling. The most frequent barrier to providing education was insufficient time (63%), followed by unfamiliarity with guns (26%). CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric providers are interested in firearms safety counseling, but few incorporate it into their practice. Addressing barriers of time and comfort level around firearms are potential first steps to curbing a leading cause of injury death among children. Further research is needed to develop counseling methods that are time efficient and culturally competent for the pediatric office.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Firearms-related injuries and deaths are a leading cause of death in children and young adults ages 5 to 24 years. This study evaluated the counseling practices and barriers to providing safe firearms storage education by pediatricians and advance practice providers. METHODS: An online survey was sent to 296 pediatric outpatient providers in Houston, Texas. Pediatric providers were asked about demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and current practices regarding firearms safety counseling. Descriptive and comparative analyses were performed. RESULTS: Survey respondents (N = 76) were 86% women and 87% physicians. Most (86%) agree that they should discuss firearms safety with parents, whereas only 32% report routine counseling. The most frequent barrier to providing education was insufficient time (63%), followed by unfamiliarity with guns (26%). CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric providers are interested in firearms safety counseling, but few incorporate it into their practice. Addressing barriers of time and comfort level around firearms are potential first steps to curbing a leading cause of injury death among children. Further research is needed to develop counseling methods that are time efficient and culturally competent for the pediatric office.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85117547094&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85117547094&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.14423/SMJ.0000000000001303
DO - 10.14423/SMJ.0000000000001303
M3 - Article
C2 - 34599341
AN - SCOPUS:85117547094
VL - 114
SP - 636
EP - 639
JO - Southern Medical Journal
JF - Southern Medical Journal
SN - 0038-4348
IS - 10
ER -