July 2, 2025
Firearms are the leading cause of death among children and youth (ages 0-24) in the United States, surpassing motor vehicle crashes in 2017. Gun violence affects all Oregonians but disproportionately impacts communities of color and rural communities.
Pediatricians have a critical role in addressing this public health crisis through education, prevention, and advocacy. Oregon pediatricians collaborate with gun violence prevention advocates, families and patients, researchers, funders, and policymakers to ensure safer communities across the state.
Preventive Strategies in Pediatric Care:
- Anticipatory Guidance & Lethal Means Counseling: Pediatricians incorporate firearm-related anticipatory guidance into well-child visits, educating families on the importance of safe storage, firearm removal when necessary, and safety mechanisms that ensure only authorized users can discharge a firearm.
- Suicide Prevention & Household Risk Reduction: For households with individuals at risk of self-harm, lethal means counseling should emphasize strategies to prevent access to firearms and other lethal agents.
- Community Violence Prevention & Advocacy: Oregon Pediatric Society members advocate for and support evidence-based community violence prevention programs, legislative measures and public health policies to reduce firearm-related harm, and increased funding for firearm injury prevention research.
OPS is committed to policies and initiatives that ensure the safety and well-being of Oregon’s children. OPS urges pediatricians, policymakers, and community leaders to take a public health approach to reducing firearm injuries and deaths.
Photo by Heather Mount on Unsplash
