Nearly 1 in 4 Youths Who Have Experienced an Assault Injury Own a Gun

A new study shows shocking statistics about youths and gun ownership.

According to researchers at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, owning a firearm may not keep you safe. In fact, it can be associated with risky behaviors-including getting involved in a serious fight, using illegal drugs and iliciting aggressive behaviors.

"Future prevention efforts should focus on minimizing illegal firearm access among high-risk youth, nonviolent alternatives to retaliatory violence, and substance use prevention," the researchers note, according to the study.

Lead study author Dr. Patrick Carter analyzed 689 at-risk youths between the ages of 14 and 24 who were being treated for assault-related injuries at a Level 1 trauma center in Flint, Mich. Twenty-three percent of those studied reported possessing a firearm within the past six months, while about 83 percent of the participants had illegally obtained a gun.

Of those that owned a gun, the study findings showed that 42 percent reported carrying it outside the house and even 22 percent said they owned an automatic or semiautomatic weapon, with most claiming that carrying a gun was for safety measures. Study findings also showed a harsh reality of the dangers of these weapons, with 67 percent of those in the hospital suffering from sustained injuries from peers who may have owned guns, and 15 percent with injuries related to a partner or related abuse.

These statistics may seem alarming when we consider the fact that mass shootings in the United States are not rare. In fact, according to Mother Jones magazine, "Since  1982, there have been at least 61 mass murders carried out with firearms across the country, with the killings unfolding in 30 states from Massachusetts to Hawaii." The scariest part about this bit of information is that most killers had obtained their weapons legally!

According to Med Page Today, factors significantly associated with gun possession include male gender, higher socioeconomic status, illicit drug use, retaliatory attitudes, and involvement in a fight within the last six months.

More information regarding the study can be found in the journal Pediatrics.