Gun violence in the United States is a public health problem – and it needs to be treated that way. That’s according to Dr. Rebecca Cunningham, the Director of the Injury Prevention Center at the University of Michigan.
Cunningham said gun violence prevention should be explored in the same way drownings and car crashes are prevented. That means focusing on risk and prevention factors, and applying injury prevention science and tactics. For example, to prevent car crashes, people changed infrastructure and the way cars were made.
“We can change how they interact with those firearms, how they’re stored safely. Whether they carry them when they’re very intoxicated or very angry. We can address people’s access to them at times where they’re really distressed,” Cunningham said.
This past weekend, there were two mass shootings in 24-hours. One in El Paso, Texas and one in Dayton, Ohio.
“We’re not going to get there just by sitting around talking to each other saying, ‘I think we should do this. I think we should do this,’” Cunningham said. “We need evidence-based solutions, that’s the way we solve major health crises.”
But before scientists can get there, there needs to be federal funding.
“We have never had a major improvement in a public health crisis in the country without substantial, federal investment,” Cunningham said.
She explained that there are some private organizations that could donate to the issue. But Cunningham said that type of money isn’t usually used for initial research – which is where they need to start.