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Public Health's Role in Firearm Safety
Firearm injuries impact families and communities across Oregon. Most fatal firearm injuries are suicide deaths, which affect every community in Oregon, including people living in rural areas and service members, veterans and their families. Nonfatal firearm injuries- including those treated in emergency departments, hospitals, and by first responders- are most often unintentional or assault-related, and their effects extend beyond those injured to their families and communities. The Oregon Health Authority's Injury and Violence Prevention section works to prevent these losses by tracking data, sharing information, and working with communities, the Nine Federally Recognized Tribes, veteran organizations, and local and state partners. Our goal is to support prevention efforts that respect individual rights, save lives and protect communities.
The context in which firearm injuries occur are captured in the social-ecological model, a public health framework used to help understand the multiple overlapping individual, relationship, community and societal factors that affect health. This includes interpersonal violence as well as unintentional and firearm suicide. This comprehensive approach is critical to identifying prevention and reduction strategies that are effective, have a sustainable impact, and address health disparities.
Examples of prevention and risk reduction strategies across the levels of the social-ecological model include:
Societal: Policies, laws and cultural norms: Provide economic supports to ensure household financial security
Community: Places where people live, work, learn and enjoy free time: Provide secure firearm storage opportunities in the community
Relationship: Connection to family, friends, peers and other social networks: Provide community training to identify people who may be at risk of suicide and how to respond effectively
Individual: Personal characteristics and history: Enhance problem-solving skills and life skills including conflict resolution
Firearm-related violence affects overall health and community wellbeing and perpetuates cycles of harm. These impacts also carry a large financial cost. In 2024, the total charges for hospital and emergency department care related to firearm injuries in Oregon was over $48 million. Medical costs are only part of the picture as the CDC estimates that the value of Oregon lives lost for 2023 (most recent year available) was over $6 billion.