Neighborhood Firearm Violence, Psychosocial Risks, and Youth Firearm Perception

Youth firearm access is associated with psychosocial behaviors, violence, and injury. Some youth without firearms at home perceive they could obtain one, indicating higher risk than those with securely stored firearms. This study examined youth and neighborhood factors associated with perceived firearm availability.

This cross-sectional study analyzed 23,334 emergency department visits by youth aged 14-18 years completing Behavioral Health Screening (2013-2024) for firearm availability and psychosocial risks. Neighborhood firearm violence and child opportunity index scores were linked to patients' census tracts. Patient and neighborhood characteristics were compared across groups: no firearm availability, at-home availability, and perceived availability. Mixed-effects models and mediation analyses further examined the associations.

Among 16,174 patients (65% Medicaid insured, 75% in very low child opportunity index neighborhoods), perceived firearm availability was associated with racial/ethnic minority status, reported fighting, retaliation, at-risk substance use, school bullying, intimate partner violence, lower child opportunity index and higher neighborhood firearm violence. At-home firearm availability was linked to non-Hispanic White status, non-Medicaid insurance, emergency department visits for mental health, higher COI, and lower firearm violence (all p<0.001). Among those without firearms at home, fighting (OR=3.6; 95% CI=3.1, 4.3) and high neighborhood firearm violence (OR=1.8; 95% CI=1.5, 2.3) were associated with perceived availability after covariate adjustment. Fighting behaviors mediated 32% of the total effect of neighborhood firearm violence on perceived firearm availability.

Youth fighting and high neighborhood firearm violence were associated with perceived firearm availability, highlighting the connection between violence exposure and firearm perceptions. ED-based screening for perceived firearm availability may help intervene youth firearm carriage and future violence.