One third of households in the USA own firearms which are often stored unsafely

Abstract

Question What is the prevalence of firearms and how are they stored in households in the USA? Study Design Systematic review. Main results Forty-two articles met inclusion criteria. All studies had cross-sectional designs (and included 7 national prevalence studies, 5 state prevalence studies, 14 clinic-based convenience samples and 10 were samples of professionals). Studies published between 1992 and 2002 estimated that firearms were present in a third of households in the USA. More than 25% of household firearms were kept loaded, but only half of these were kept locked. More than 50% of households with firearms had handguns. The proportion of handguns in households with children was the same as those without children. However, firearm storage practices were slightly more secure in households with children. Medical professionals had a similar rate of handgun ownership to the general population. There was little information about the use of gunlocks, trigger locks, gun safes, gun cabinets and lock boxes. There was also little information about the storage of firearm ammunition. Authors’ conclusions Firearms can be found in about a third of households in the USA. Medical professionals and people with children have a similar rate of firearm ownership to the general population. A significant number of households store guns and firearms unsafely, which is a serious cause for concern.