An advisory from the U.S. surgeon general says gun violence is an urgent public health crisis. Citing rising deaths of young people and mental health impacts, the report argues for an approach to stem gun violence similar to tobacco-related and motor vehicle deaths. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Dr. Emmy Betz, an emergency room physician and director of the Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative.
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Amna Nawaz:
A new advisory from the U.S. surgeon general declares gun violence in America is an urgent public health crisis.
The report, citing rising deaths of young people and broad mental health impacts, argues for a comprehensive approach to stem gun violence, similar to tobacco-related and motor vehicle-related deaths. The National Rifle Association today called it — quote — "an extension of the Biden administration's war on law-abiding gun owners."
Joining us now is Dr. Emmy Betz. She's an emergency room physician and director of the Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative at the University of Colorado.
Dr. Betz, Dr. Betz welcome back. Thanks for joining us.
Dr. Emmy Betz, Director, Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative:
Thank you so much for having me.
Amna Nawaz:
So you work in an E.R. in Colorado, as we mentioned. You run this Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative.
From what you have seen in your work, is this public health declaration necessary right now?
Dr. Emmy Betz:
I really think it is, because I think it lays out two key tenets.
The first is that this is a health problem. We are trying to prevent the injuries, the deaths, the psychological harm related to firearms. So it's not about the device itself. It's about the negative consequences it can have.
And it's also about acknowledging that public health is a science. We have a framework on how we can prevent these injuries and deaths, the harm that nobody wants to have happen. So I think having a report of this magnitude really lays it out and points us in a way forward.
Amna Nawaz:
So what does labeling it a public health crisis change in the way of what you see every day in your E.R., or in terms of the funding for actual research that goes into firearm injury prevention? What changes with this?
Dr. Emmy Betz:
So, well, when we talk about a public health approach, what it really is, is a four-step cycle that first starts with looking at data to understand who's being injured or killed and why.
Is it from suicide? Is it from mass shootings? Is it from youth violence in the community? And then it's about identifying the strategies that will work to prevent those injuries and deaths and those harms. And I — you know,what works in Wyoming for suicide prevention might be really different than what works in Denver for youth at risk of interpersonal violence.
And then the public health approach, we further the things that are effective. We scale them up in a bigger way. So, using that approach and what this report can help us really think about in a more systematic way is, what do we know that already works and how can we scale that up, things like community violence intervention programs or respectful counseling by health care providers?
Where are the gaps? What do we not know? Where can we invest in funding? And, again, it's a big and messy problem, so it's going to take multiple different solutions. But this framework can help us really think about the problem in a systematic way.
Amna Nawaz:
You mentioned the data. And there is a lot of data that we do have already. I want to underscore some of that for our viewers.
The report includes the statistics we reported on a number of times that, since 2020, firearm-related injury has been the leading cause of death for U.S. children. In 2022, there were more than 48,000 people who were killed in gun violence. More than half of all gun-related deaths in 2022 were from suicides.
And this is an alarming trend that was noted. Among people aged 25 to 34, firearm-related suicide rate has climbed 43 percent in the last decade.
I know, Dr. Betz, much of your work in Colorado revolves around gun-related suicides. What explains that sharp increase in the last decade?
Dr. Emmy Betz:
I will say, a positive trend over recent years I think has been increasing willingness to talk about mental health and mental illness and the stresses that we're going through it. And that's certainly important.
But we also know that firearm and firearm availability can significantly increase the risk of death when someone's going through a period. It's not that the firearm causes the suicide. The presence of a gun alone is not going to make someone suddenly think of suicide.
But if someone is going through a rough patch, maybe a bad divorce, maybe substance abuse, maybe mental illness combined with a bunch of other things, if they reach for a gun in that moment they're unlikely to survive. And so I think it's very much like a designated driver to help somebody get home from the bar when they're maybe not at their best or thinking their clearest.
And that's a similar approach that we need in the firearm suicide prevention space.
Amna Nawaz:
This report also aims to take this conversation sort of out of the political realm and move it into the public health realm.
But it's worth pointing out the report calls for things like universal background checks, a ban on assault weapons, things that have been up for discussion before and haven't politically been able to move forward.
I just wonder, if you think in this climate, those kinds of steps are even possible.
Dr. Emmy Betz:
So, I have to think yes, in that I have to think everything is possible.
Look, none of us want these injuries and deaths to be happening. We all want our families and our communities and our kids to be happy and safe. And so I really hope that we can have everything on the table for consideration, including recognizing what things have evidence behind them and which don't.
And how do we decide as a society to move forward? At the University of Colorado, we're really proud to be working in a nonpartisan space. We recognize legislation can be part of the solution, but it's not the only solution. And I think, sometimes, we can feel so paralyzed by the political debate that we forget there's lots of other things we can be doing in the meantime to help prevent, again, these injuries and deaths that nobody wants.
Amna Nawaz:
All right, that is Dr. Emmy Betz, director of Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative at the University of Colorado.
Dr. Betz, thank you. Great to speak with you.
Dr. Emmy Betz:
Thank you.
