Firearms: the cost of inaction

The Lancet Public Health The Lancet Public Health

doi:10.1016/s2468-2667(19)30085-4

Abstract

Firearms: the cost of inaction

Highlights

Every day, an estimated 688 people die from firearm injuries around the world, thousands more are injured, and firearm-related violence darkens the lives of millions who have witnessed it, know victims who have suffered it, or those who fear it
According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, worldwide an estimated 251 000 people died from firearm injuries in 2016, with six countries (Brazil, USA, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, and Guatemala) accounting for over half of those deaths
In The Lancet Public Health, Anna Dare and colleagues dissect firearm mortality in four of these most affected countries, and report that firearms are a major cause of premature mortality in the USA, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia, responsible for 2·5 million deaths from 1990–2015

Summary

Introduction

An estimated 688 people die from firearm injuries around the world, thousands more are injured, and firearm-related violence darkens the lives of millions who have witnessed it, know victims who have suffered it, or those who fear it. Firearm-related violence is not mentioned in the health Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 3). One has to look to SDG 16—promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, for the mandate to reduce all forms of violence and related deaths.

Results

Conclusion