Family experiences, attitudes, and household safety practices regarding firearms

To assess families' experiences with shootings and firearm ownership and attitudes, 208 children aged 5 to 12 years were interviewed and 242 parents filled out a questionnaire, all at an urban hospital. Forty-three percent of the parents and 25% of the children had personal knowledge of shootings. Of the parents, 10% owned guns, of which only 21% were stored safely. Gun ownership was more common in homes with resident adult males (14%) than in those with no adult males (3%). Most children (81%) played with guns, and 20% to 25% preferred violent TV shows, games, and toys. Parents' and children's attitudes toward firearms and children's gun play did not differ by level of mother's education; method of payment for, or site of, health care; income; or exposure to shootings. Children with personal knowledge of shootings more often expressed fears of being shot than did other children (52% vs 31%). The children in our study population were similar in their gun play and attitudes about gun use despite disparate socioeconomic backgrounds and exposure to shootings.