Dataset Information

Self-Protection versus Fear of Stricter Firearm Regulations: Examining the Drivers of Firearm Acquisitions in the Aftermath of a Mass Shooting.

ABSTRACT: Discovering causal mechanisms underlying firearm acquisition can provide critical insight into firearm-related violence in the United States. Here, we established an information-theoretic framework to address the long-disputed dichotomy between self-protection and fear of firearm regulations as potential drivers of firearm acquisition in the aftermath of a mass shooting. We collected data on mass shootings, federal background checks, media output on firearm control and shootings, and firearm safety laws from 1999 to 2017. First, we conducted a cluster analysis to partition States according to the restrictiveness of their firearm-related legal environment. Then, we performed a transfer entropy analysis to unveil causal relationships at the State-level in the Wiener-Granger sense. The analysis suggests that fear of stricter firearm regulations is a stronger driver than the desire of self-protection for firearm acquisitions. This fear is likely to cross State borders, thereby shaping a collective pattern of firearm acquisition throughout the Nation.

SUBMITTER: Porfiri M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7660383 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Self-Protection versus Fear of Stricter Firearm Regulations: Examining the Drivers of Firearm Acquisitions in the Aftermath of a Mass Shooting.

Porfiri Maurizio M Barak-Ventura Roni R Marín Manuel Ruiz MR

Patterns (New York, N.Y.) 20200811 6

Discovering causal mechanisms underlying firearm acquisition can provide critical insight into firearm-related violence in the United States. Here, we established an information-theoretic framework to address the long-disputed dichotomy between self-protection and fear of firearm regulations as potential drivers of firearm acquisition in the aftermath of a mass shooting. We collected data on mass shootings, federal background checks, media output on firearm control and shootings, and firearm saf ...[more]

PMID: 33205129

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Project description:BackgroundThe use of standing electric motorized scooters (eScooters) has skyrocketed since its first release in 2016. This quickly popularized form of transportation has been associated with significant injury and even death. These eScooter-related traumatic injuries led to local advocacy efforts, resulting in safety restrictions including speed limit geofencing, sidewalk restrictions, and limiting the number of eScooter providers in high-density population areas. We hypothesized that these local safety restrictions decreased the number of eScooter-related injuries presenting to our trauma center. .MethodsThis is a retrospective cohort study of eScooter-crash patients presenting to our Level 1 trauma center from July 2018 to June 2023. Variables included patient demographics, injury severity score (ISS), and mortality. The primary outcome was the rate of eScooter patients presenting over time in relation to the implementation of local-regional safety regulations.ResultsA total of 381 patients presented after eScooter crashes. Males were 73.8% of patients. The average age was 38.6 years; 45+ years was the most common age group at 33%, followed by ages 25-34 (31%). The mean ISS was 9±6, with ISS 0-9 (65.1%), 10-15 (24.4%), 16-24 (8.4%), and >25 (20.1%). There were three (0.8%) deaths. The median number of eScooter patients per month with prespeed limits was nine and post five (p=0.005), showing a 44.4% decrease in injured patients. After February 2022 restrictions, the rate precipitously declined with a median of two (p=0.033), reflecting an additional 60% decrease in injured patients.ConclusionLocal advocacy resulting in increased safety regulations was associated with a significant reduction in injured patients secondary to eScooter use. This demonstrates the importance of advocacy efforts in response to changes in injury patterns and mechanisms of injury. We believe that our work can serve as a model for other urban centers seeking to reduce eScooter-related injuries and implement effective safety measures.Level of evidenceIV, prognostic/epidemiologic.

Dataset Information

Self-Protection versus Fear of Stricter Firearm Regulations: Examining the Drivers of Firearm Acquisitions in the Aftermath of a Mass Shooting.

Publications

Self-Protection versus Fear of Stricter Firearm Regulations: Examining the Drivers of Firearm Acquisitions in the Aftermath of a Mass Shooting.

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