At the American Public Health Association's annual meeting, a panel implored physicians to ask patients about gun ownership while performing patients' health histories, according to Breitbart.
Here are five takeaways:
1. During the panel, Eric Fleegler, MD, of Boston Children's Hospital, said the increased numbers of firearm laws in a state are related with a lower rate of firearm fatalities.
2. Despite these findings, many states with strict firearm laws have recently loosened gun control regulations.
3. Dr. Fleegler added in almost half of households that have a child and a gun, the gun is not properly stored. He advocated for a more "concentrated approach across the country" to reduce the rate of gun-related injuries.
4. An increase in the amount of collected data on gun-related fatalities and firearm sales would help with more funding for firearm-related research, according to Dr. Fleegler.
5. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports gun control, and says the lack of firearms in homes and communities is an effective way to prevent suicide, homicide and unintentional firearm-related injuries.
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