Emergence of Gun Violence as a Patient Priority

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Cardiovascular Health
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Gun violence is a significant public health concern, disproportionately affecting underserved and minority communities.
• Community-level factors can influence patient engagement in primary care.
• Cardiovascular health management is a critical area of focus in primary care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document patient experiences of community gun violence.
• To explore how gun violence influences engagement in primary care.
• To understand the impact of gun violence on cardiovascular health management.

Main Methods:

• Conducted semistructured qualitative interviews.
• Recruited individuals with uncontrolled hypertension from primary care practices serving underserved communities in metro Richmond, Virginia.
• Integrated into a larger study on improving cardiovascular health.

Main Results:

• 11 out of 19 interviewed individuals spontaneously discussed the negative effects of gun violence.
• Emergent themes included acute and chronic traumatic experiences.
• Identified physiologic, cognitive, and cardiovascular health management effects of gun violence.

Conclusions:

• The pervasive negative effects of gun violence on overall health, including cardiovascular health, emerged unprompted.
• Family physicians can play a crucial role in identifying and managing the health consequences of gun violence.
• Further research is needed on how primary care clinicians can comprehensively address gun violence in patient care.