Firearm-associated homicides among family members, relatives, or friends - Ohio

Article Abstract:

In the United States homicides are the fourth leading cause of death before the age of 65 years. In a study conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1983, it is reported 56 percent of all homicides in Ohio were carried out by relatives or acquaintances. Firearms were used in 61 percent of these 311 homicides. Another study examined the demographic characteristics of 50 individuals who committed a homicide that was not secondary to another crime, and occurred in the vicinity of their home. Threatened (30 percent) or actual (10 percent) physical abuse was stated as the most common cause of the homicide. Handguns were used in 76 percent of the homicides; less than half of the handguns used were owned by the offender. Sixty-four percent of the handguns were kept loaded and in an unlocked location. Most of the guns (66 percent) had been owned for six years or less. Alcohol was consumed prior to the incident by 62 percent of the offenders, and alcohol and/or drugs by 88 percent of the offenders and/or victims. The events that occurred immediately before the homicides are also presented. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) cautions against interpreting the results obtained from a small study conducted in a limited geographical location. The CDC recommends using the results to identify risk factors for firearm-associated homicides. Areas for additional study include: an investigation of the magnitude, characteristics and cost of firearm-related injuries; the number, type and distribution of firearms; risks involved in owning firearms; and interventions related to firearms. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Usage, Firearms, Ohio, Homicide, Pistols

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Firearm ownership among nonurban adolescents

Article Abstract:

Gunshot wounds, self-inflicted and accidental, are the second leading cause of death among teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19. Most accidental gunshot deaths occur in the home. A relationship between the availability of guns and firearm-related injuries has been suggested. The availability and ownership of firearms among teenagers were studied, as were related behavioral and demographic characteristics of the teenagers who owned them. Of the rural and suburban teenagers studied, 48 percent of 313 males and four percent of 351 females owned firearms. White males owned 56 percent of the handguns, while 20 percent were owned by blacks, four percent by white females, and two percent by black females. Twenty-two percent of the male school dropouts owned handguns, compared with seven percent of those who were enrolled in school. The first gun was owned by an average age of 12.5 years, and was generally purchased for the child by an adult male family member. This may imply that owning a firearm is viewed as a passage from childhood to maturity. If deaths from firearms are to be prevented, physicians must educate male family members, who seem to encourage the ownership of guns, by acquainting them with behavior typical of adolescence and explaining the potential for suicidal behavior and possible erratic behaviors of family members during stressful episodes. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Analysis, Teenagers, Firearms ownership

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Weight-training injuries in adolescents

Article Abstract:

Knowledge of the incidence and causes of injury help to prevent injuries that result from specific activities. However, the causes and incidence of skeletal muscle injuries due to weight training are not known. Weight training is a common method of conditioning in secondary school athletes. The incidence of injury due to weight training was assessed among junior and senior high school football players. An injury questionnaire was given to 354 students, and histories were confirmed for high school athletes. The incidence of injuries causing more than a week of missed sports participation was determined. Injuries occurred in 27 of 354 football players, including 7 of 98 junior high school athletes; 15 of 159 high school freshman/junior varsity athletes; and 5 of 97 high school varsity athletes. The overall incidence rate for injuries was 0.082 injuries per person years. The incidence rates were also calculated for junior high school athletes; high school freshman/junior varsity players; and high school varsity players. Incidence rates were similar for all high school groups. The various types of injuries included strains in 74.1 percent of athletes, with back strain occurring in 59.3 percent. Back injuries were caused by certain exercises in older students. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Sports, Weight training

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