Owing to the popularity of firearms in the US, it is no wonder that the country experiences thousands of firearm-related injuries per year.
That said, however, what are the actual mechanics of firearm injuries? When and how do they occur? What are some of the elements that create health disparities when it comes to firearms and injuries related to them?
For starters, firearm injuries follow the pattern of social and socio-economic disparities within our country, as well as certain racial, gender, and sexual disparities. It should come as no surprise, then, when we report that males suffer almost 7 to 17 times more firearms-related injuries than females.
However, we must also differentiate between the mechanics of those injuries between the race and socio-economic status of the males. Namely, while males do suffer more injuries involving firearms, it is imperative to note that there is a much higher number of young African-American males injured using firearms, where the firearm was used for the purposes of assault, than white males.
On the other hand, white males have a tendency to suffer from firearm-related injuries caused by themselves – the vast majority of white males being injured by firearms come from either accidental discharges or suicide attempts.
When it comes to females and firearm injuries, though they are much less likely to be injured by firearms, they are much more likely to be injured by an intimate partner or somebody they already know using firearms. On top of that, there has also been a rising number of female firearm-related suicides in recent years.
Finally, it should be noted that geographical location also plays a major role in determining the number and likeliness of firearm injuries. It has been empirically proven that those in cities are much more likely to suffer from firearm-related injuries, especially in the assault category for the use of the firearm than those in rural areas.
That being said, many more people use firearms to self-inflict injuries in rural areas than in urban centers, thus suggesting that crime-related firearm usage is much more prominent in the cities, whereas mental illness is much less likely to be noticed and treated in the countryside.
All in all, while some of these facts aren’t surprising to us, what is concerning is that health disparities continue to deepen along the lines of some more deeply rooted problems in our society. Racial discrimination and socio-economic divide are some of the major problems and leading causes for gun violence in America, and while you might consider that it might be a good time to invest in a Geissele AR-15 for home protection, you should also be aware that what you’re trying to defend yourself against is something that will take much more than a single firearm to solve but will take a lot of hard work and mental recalculation on the part of our people and our nation.
Alex Oger is a prolific writer and an avid gun enthusiast. He grew up in the American Midwest, where he initially fell in love with guns. He spent most of his adolescent years perfecting his marksmanship at the range. He became particularly proficient with the Geissele AR-15 and the 5,56 ammo, which he considered to be the gold standard in the world of firearms.