Most U.S. Firearm Owners Motivated by Protection

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, July 31, 2024 -- Protection was the dominant reason for U.S. firearm ownership in 2023, according to a study published online July 25 in Injury Prevention.

Michelle Degli Esposti, from the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues characterized the motivations of firearm owners and whether motivations and behaviors varied by state stand your ground law status. Analysis included survey responses from 2,477 firearm owners.

The researchers found that 78.8 percent of respondents reported owning a firearm for protection. More than half (58.1 percent) carried a firearm outside their home in the last 12 months. There was not a significant relationship between firearm ownership for protection and stand your ground laws. However, firearm carriage was more prevalent in states with stand your ground laws (50.1 versus 34.9 percent). Compared to other ownership motivators, women and minority racial group status correlated with firearm ownership for protection. Nearly all Black and Asian women (98.8 percent) said they owned firearms solely for protection.

"Against a background of rising rates of firearm ownership and firearm legalization liberalization, it is increasingly important to understand why Americans own and carry firearms," the authors write. "This study finds that firearm ownership in the USA is now almost exclusively driven by a perceived need for protection, motivating new types of firearm owners, including women and racial minorities."

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2024-08-01 07:15

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords