Research priorities for gun violence identified

In response to an executive order by President Obama, health organizations propose a research agenda to better understand gun-related violence. A report by the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council proposed research priorities on the public health aspects of gun-related violence, including its causes, health burden and possible interventions. Alan Leshner, chairman of the study committee and chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, said the committee determined significant progress could be achieved in three to five years via a research program that addressed five high-priority areas: the characteristics of gun violence, risk and protective factors, prevention and other interventions, gun safety technology and the influence of video games and other media. "The complexity and frequency of gun-related violence combined with its impact on the health and safety of the nation's residents make it a topic of considerable public health importance," Leshner said in a statement. "Therefore, when developing its agenda, the committee took a public health approach that focused on gun violence problems associated with significant levels of injuries and fatalities. Although this research agenda is an initial, not all-encompassing set of questions, it could help better define the causes and prevention of firearm violence in order to develop effective policies to reduce its occurrence and impact in the United States." Similar approaches to public health problems have produced successes in lowering tobacco use, accidental poisoning, and motor vehicle fatalities, Leshner said.