Most Pressing Research Priorities for Reducing the Threat of Gun Violence in the United States

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Research Council have released a prepublication report that identifies research priorities for the most pressing gun violence problems in the United States. The report, "Priorities for Research to Reduce the Threat of Firearm-Related Violence," "proposes priorities for a research agenda to improve understanding of the public health aspects of gun-related violence, including its causes, health burden, and possible interventions."

This report stems from the recent slew of firearm attacks in the U.S., such as Newtown, CT, Aurora, CO, Oak Creek, WI, and Tucson, AZ, and the following executive orders from President Obama on gun safety and violence prevention. "One of these executive orders charged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] with identifying the most pressing firearm-related violence research needs. In turn, CDC and the CDC Foundation asked IOM and the Research Council to recommend a research agenda on the public health aspects of firearm-related violence." Chair of the study committee, Alan Leshner, commented that "the complexity and frequency of gun-related violence combined with its impact on the health and safety of the nation's residents make it a topic of considerable public health importance."

The report identifies the following five topics as the most pressing research priorities for gun violence problems: •Characteristics of gun violence •Risk and protective factors •Firearm violence prevention and other interventions •Gun safety technology •Influence of video games and other media

The IOM and National Research Council expect that scientific research conducted on these topics "can enable the development of sound policies that support both the rights and responsibilities central to gun ownership in the United States."

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