Gun Ownership in US Households

From time to time, mortality studies among industrial workers show increased mortality from external causes, homicides and suicides. A large risk factor for being killed by a gun is having one in the house, Therefore, regional and class differences in prevalence of guns in the house is important to interpreting these data.

These investigators conducted a review, and concluded that published studies indicate that firearms are present in about one third of U.S. households. Handguns in particular are present in more than half of U.S. households with firearms, or about 19% of all U.S. households. The prevalence of firearms and handguns in households with young people was similar to the prevalence overall. The prevalence of firearm ownership was highest in the South, followed by states in the Midwest; firearm ownership in those two regions ranged from 40% to 55%.

They opined “firearms are common in U.S. households, even in the homes of medical professionals and those with children.”

Despite reference to storage practices in the title, there’s nothing much in the abstract. Safety advocates stress keeping the guns in one safe, the ammo in another. BrooklynDodger recalls the NRA advocating keeping ammo out of guns except when the guns are in use; if the use of the gun is self-defense, then it can be loaded, which is all the time.

PS: Why are review articles title “systematic review” or “critical review?” Do journals publish unsystematic and uncritical reviews? Reviewers of review articles ought to look into this. Or editors of journals.


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Am J Prev Med. 2004 Aug;27(2):173-82.
Firearm ownership and storage practices, U.S. households, 1992-2002. A systematic review.Johnson RM, Coyne-Beasley T, Runyan CW.

Injury Prevention Research Center, School of Public Health, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.

BACKGROUND: Because the presence and improper storage of household firearms are risk factors for injury, it is important to understand the prevalence of ownership and storage practices within households to help guide intervention development. This systematic review of published articles (1992 to 2002) provides prevalence estimates of firearm ownership and storage practices in U.S. households. METHODS: A search of bibliographic databases (MedLine, CINAHL, PsycInfo, Sociological Abstracts) was completed in January 2003. RESULTS: Although all were cross-sectional, the 42 articles included in this review varied in type; there were seven national and five state prevalence studies, as well as studies using clinic-based convenience samples (n =14) and samples of professionals (n =10). Published studies indicate that firearms are present in about one third of U.S. households. Handguns in particular are present in more than half of U.S. households with firearms, or about 19% of all U.S. households. The prevalence of firearms and handguns in households with young people was similar to the prevalence overall. Firearm ownership was highest in the South. “The prevalence of firearm ownership was highest in the South, followed by states in the Midwest; firearm ownership in those two regions ranged from 40% to 55%

CONCLUSIONS: Although the methodologic rigor of published articles varies substantially, the literature clearly establishes that firearms are common in U.S. households, even in the homes of medical professionals and those with children.