Addressing Gun Violence as a Public Health Issue

Kaiser Permanente is hoping to bring public health back to the forefront of conversations about gun violence. After treating more than 11,000 gunshot wounds in 2017, Kaiser invested $2 million in research that will go toward determining what types of measures and interventions are most effective in preventing gun-related injury and death.

Improved screenings for depression could mitigate gun-related suicides, for example, and education about safe firearm practices can help prevent accidents. Other protocols could help identify patients in need of behavioral health and social care intervention.

A Kaiser task force is currently working to identify their main research priorities and will award funding to the most high-impact study proposals.

“This is our first step in helping us as a system to see what we can contribute,” said Dr. Bechara Choucair, Kaiser Permanente’s chief community health officer. “We’re hoping this will be a catalyst for others to start being engaged in this space as well.”

Read more from The Washington Post.