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| Joseph Cincotta, MD |
One of the routine
questions I ask my patients during an office visit is whether they have guns in
their home. Some of my patients find this intrusive and even offensive, and
they are not alone. But my goal, and that of other doctors like myself, is not
to judge or debate, but to make sure my patients stay safe and healthy.
Whether or not health
professionals should be asking about guns in the home has sparked a national
debate. Emotions may run high when there is any conversation that is perceived
to challenge one’s right to own and keep a gun, and those emotions can block
any further conversation about guns and gun safety. Health care professionals are not challenging
anyone’s Constitutional right to own a gun.
Many health professionals own guns themselves and use them for a variety
of recreational activities. Our focus
when we discuss this issue is one of safety, not the right of ownership. According to a report by NBC News, firearms
injured 15,576 children in 2010. And because of frightening statistics like
this, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pediatricians and
other health care professionals counsel patients about gun safety.
When I inquire about guns in the home, it is with the best
intentions. I am not calling a parent’s judgment into question, nor am I
attempting to interfere with anyone’s right to own guns. But, the fact is that
unsecured guns pose a health risk to children. Just as I would counsel parents
about car seat safety, I counsel parents about precautions they should take to keep
firearms safe.
A few states have enacted laws prohibiting doctors from
asking patients about guns in the home. The practice is not prohibited in
Pennsylvania, but patients are also not required to disclose whether or not
they have guns in the home to their doctor.
For parents or caregivers who have guns in their home, I
recommend taking the following precautions:
- Make sure that guns are unloaded and stored in a locked location, preferably out of a child’s reach and sight.
- Store ammunition in a different locked location from the gun, preferably out of a child’s reach and sight.
- Keep keys and combinations hidden from children.
- Do not leave your gun unattended when it is not locked up.
- Use gun locks.
- Do not leave guns, loaded or unloaded, anywhere where a child can access them (nightstand, table, etc.)
- Talk to older children about gun safety. Let them know that they should tell an adult immediately if they find one.
- Talk to your child’s other caregivers about gun safety.
When it comes to gun accidents involving children, there are
very few second chances. A high percentage of accidental shootings result in death.
Remember, when your doctor asks about guns in the home, they have your family’s
best interests in mind.
