Tell Congress to pass commonsense measures to reduce gun violence
Share our fact sheet about gun violence and prevention (PDF)
APHA's Program to Improve Graduation fosters creative ways to engage youth as partners for change. Here's what students at Omaha Northwest High Magnet School created in response to gun violence in America:
Creative Director: James “Jimmy” Watkins, Video Production: Project Raw; Khabeer Saalam
Open-access American Journal of Public Health research on gun violence
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.
APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD, talks about why Congress needs to enable the CDC to research gun violence as a public health issue:
MORE ON GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION
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)