Family practice physicians' firearm safety counseling beliefs and behaviors

J Community Health. 1997 Oct;22(5):313-24. doi: 10.1023/a:1025172903135.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify family physicians' firearm safety counseling beliefs and behaviors. A survey was mailed to a random sample of 600 members of the American Academy of Family Physicians. A three wave mailing technique was used to maximize the response rate and yielded 271 usable surveys (55% response rate). Outcome measures included training experience in firearm safety counseling, the prevalence of firearm safety counseling by family physicians, and their perceptions regarding such counseling. The majority (78%) of family physicians lacked formal training on how to counsel patients about firearm safety and 49% believed more time should be spent in residency programs on firearm safety counseling. The majority (84%) of respondents never or rarely counseled patients on firearm safety and 50% believed firearm safety counseling should be a low priority in their delivery of primary care. The majority of respondents did not regularly counsel patients about firearm safety, did not believe firearm safety counseling should be a priority, and did not believe firearm safety counseling would be effective in reducing firearm-related trauma.

MeSH terms

  • Attitude of Health Personnel*
  • Counseling
  • Female
  • Firearms*
  • Health Care Surveys
  • Health Priorities
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Education as Topic*
  • Physicians, Family / education
  • Physicians, Family / psychology*
  • Professional Practice / statistics & numerical data
  • Safety*
  • Sampling Studies
  • United States