Gun Violence

“As our nation has this very intense debate over how best to make our communities safer and reduce the carnage that occurs from firearms, we’ve given you some policies that will work and how we can move this nation forward.” -- APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD

Watch our Sept. 23 forum: Policies that Work to Prevent Gun Violence 

Slides from the forum (PDF): Introduction and Overview, Panel 1, Panel 2

Read about the forum in this article from The Nation's Health

Share our fact sheet about gun violence and prevention (PDF)

APHA Action Alerts:

• Tell your members of congress to support legislation to reduce gun violence
• Tell your senators to support universal background checks for all gun sales

Spread the word: add your comment to our thought bubble, take a photo with your sign and share it on social media. #stopgunviolence

Gun violence is a leading cause of premature death in the U.S. Guns kill more than 38,000 people and cause nearly 85,000 injuries each year. As a longtime advocate for violence prevention policies, APHA recognizes a comprehensive public health approach to addressing this growing crisis is necessary.

The issue of gun violence is complex and deeply rooted in our culture, which is why we must take a public health approach to ensuring our families and communities are safe. We must place a renewed emphasis on improving gun injury and violence research.

If you are interested in a sample op-ed, letter to the editor or technical support to help reach your local media, please contact APHA Media Relations.

MORE ON GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION

News release: APHA mourns gun violence victims, calls for immediate action

APHA President Pam Aaltonen: Progress on gun violence prevention constrained by unanswered questions (The Nation's Health)

APHA letter to the U.S. House of Representatives in support of H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 (PDF)

Letters to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders urging $50 million for CDC to research firearm morbidity and mortality prevention (PDF)

Webinar for APHA members: Gun Violence as a Public Health Issue 

Fact sheet: Who Gets Killed in America? The National Violent Death Reporting System is Keeping Track (PDF)

Troisi, Williams: Public health approach can stem gun violence (PDF, Houston Chronicle)

"Gun Violence is an epidemic. It is time for a public health response" (editorial in The Guardian by APHA's Georges Benjamin) 

Diagnosis: gun deaths and injuries are a public health issue (editorial by APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD, and Brady Campaign and Center to Prevent Gun Violence President Dan Gross)

The rate of gun-related murders fell sharply in the 10 years after Connecticut implemented a law requiring people buying firearms to have a license, according to a study (CNN article based on American Journal of Public Health study findings)

Community preparedness resources for active shooter incidents (NACCHO)