Gun Violence: The Impact on Society (2024)

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Gun Violence: The Impact on Society (1)

Infographics

Social Determinants of Health

Published on: January 16, 2024. Updated on: July 02, 2024.

$557 billion

The economic cost of gun violence across the US in 2022

This infographic explores the rapidly increasing health and economic costs of gun violence across the United States.

An average of 118 people a day died from a gun-related incident in 2023. For every person who dies by firearm, more than two survive, often with significant and expensive mental and physical injuries.

In June 2024, US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, MD, issued a Surgeon General’s Advisory on Firearm Violence, the first publication from the Office of the Surgeon General dedicated to the health issue.

Citations

Gun violence is a public health problem: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, About Firearm Injury and Death, 2024

Gun-related deaths and injuries are still above pre-pandemic levels: Alexander Tin and Allison Elyse Gualtieri, CBS News, Gun injuries in 2023 still at higher rates than before the pandemic across most states, CDC reports, 2024

Total gun death 2019 - 2023: Gun Violence Archive, Past Summary Ledgers, 2024

For every one person who dies by firearm, more than two survive: The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, Nonfatal Gun Violence, 2020

Expensive and long-term mental and physical injuries: Alice Miranda Ollstein and Nicholas Wu, Politico, “Health costs of gun violence exceed $1 billion a year, GAO says”, 2021

Average of people wounded by guns nationally and by state: Everytown, How does gun violence impact the communities you care about?, 2024

  • Note: The analysis of nonfatal firearm injuries is based on hospital discharge data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP).

Gun violence has significant health and economic consequences, especially among child and adolescent survivors. Gun violence can place a strain on health care systems, with survivors increasing hospitalizations and spending by 1,449% and 1,713% respectively.

Citations

Health outcomes following non-fatal firearm injury: Zirui Song et al., in Health Affairs, Firearm Injuries In Children And Adolescents: Health And Economic Consequences Among Survivors And Family Members, Vol. 42, No. 11, 2023

Gun violence in the US has steep economic consequences, totaling $557 billion in 2022. Most significant are the quality-of-life costs, which include the value of pain and well-being lost by survivors of firearm injuries, decedents, and their families.

Citations

$557 billion - Zirui Song, JAMA, The Business Case for Reducing Firearm Injuries, 2022

Economic cost of gun violence: Everytown Research, The Economic Cost of Gun Violence, 2022

Price Per Individual and Taxpayers: Everytown Research, How does gun violence impact the communities you care about?, 2023

Medicaid and other public programs: Zirui Song et al., Annals of Internal Medicine, Changes in Health Care Spending, Use, and Clinical Outcomes After Nonfatal Firearm Injuries Among Survivors and Family Members, 2022

Recent studies and cost per person post-injury:

  • Source 1: Zirui Song et al., Annals of Internal Medicine, Changes in Health Care Spending, Use, and Clinical Outcomes After Nonfatal Firearm Injuries Among Survivors and Family Members, 2022

  • Source 2: Zirui Song et al., Health Affairs, Firearm Injuries In Children And Adolescents: Health And Economic Consequences Among Survivors And Family Members, 2023

Between 2018 and 2023, there was a yearly average of around 603 mass shooting events. While mass shootings are often the most publicized events, they are not the primary source of gun violence.

There have been over 260 mass shootings this year alone, resulting in 274 deaths and over 1,131 injuries (as of July 2, 2024).

The metrics displayed in the graph do not include suspect deaths and injuries. For metrics including suspect deaths and injuries, please see the citations.

Citations

Mass shootings in 2024: Gun Violence Archive, Gun Violence Archive 2024, 2024

  • Note: The metrics displayed in the graphic do not include suspect injuries and deaths, only victim injuries and deaths.
  • If including suspects, the deaths and injuries for 2024 are:
    • As of July 2: 261 total shootings, 296 deaths, and 1,150 injuries.

Gun violence definition: Gun Violence Archive, General Methodology, 2022

Mass shootings January 1 - December 31 (2019 - 2023): Gun Violence Archive, Past Summary Ledgers, 2023

  • Note: The metrics displayed in the graphic do not include suspect injuries and deaths, only victim injuries and deaths.
  • If including suspects, the deaths and injuries for each year are:
    • 2019: 414 total shootings, 461 deaths, and 1,701 injuries
    • 2020: 610 total shootings, 516 deaths, and 2,537 injuries
    • 2021: 690 total shootings, 707 deaths, and 2,819 injuries
    • 2022: 644 total shootings, 675 deaths, and 2,690 injuries
    • 2023: 656 total shootings, 756 deaths, and 2,723 injuries

Historically, mass shootings typically occur in the latter half of the year: Shayanne Gal and Madison Hall, Insider, “The US has had 214 mass shootings so far in 2022. Here's the full list.”, 2022

Mass shootings account for less than 2% of gun deaths: Gun Violence Archive, Past Summary Ledgers, 2024

More typical acts of gun violence: German Lopez, The New York Times, “America’s Gun Problem”, 2022

Prior to 2020, motor vehicle accidents were consistently the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in the US. Since then, gun-related deaths have remained the leading cause of death among this age group.

In response to the number of deaths and injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents, numerous legislative steps have been taken to improve car and motor vehicle safety over time. Until recently, there had not been any widespread federal legislation in response to gun violence since 1994.

Citations

Guns are the leading cause of death for American children and adolescents: Jason E Goldstick et al., New England Journal of Medicine, Current Causes of Death in Children and Adolescents in the United States, 2022

  • Note: Children and adolescents are defined as persons 1 to 19 years old.

For the first time, guns surpassed motor vehicle accidents as cause of death: Daniel J Flannery and Ruth W Begun, “Guns surpass motor vehicles as top cause of death for U.S. children: What parents should know”, Case Western Reserve University, Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, 2022

Guns have remained the leading cause of death:

  • Source 1: Bailey K. Roberts et al., American Academy of Pediatrics, Trends and Disparities in Firearm Deaths Among Children, 2023

  • Source 2: The Children’s Defense Fund, The State of America’s Children, 2023 Gun Violence, 2023

Firearm vs. motor vehicle deaths: Dan Keating, The Washington Post, “Guns killed more young people than cars did for the first time in 2020”, 2022

  • Note: Data in the above article is from the Centers for Disease Control and Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS).

Half of all gun deaths occurred in 10 states: The Children’s Defense Fund, The State of America’s Children, 2023 Gun Violence, 2023

Breakdown of gun deaths Bailey K. Roberts et al., American Academy of Pediatrics, Trends and Disparities in Firearm Deaths Among Children, 2023

Overall, incidents of gunfire on school grounds have been on the rise since 2013. Across the US, Texas has the highest number of gunfire occurrences on school grounds in this timeframe, resulting in close to 70 deaths and 100 injuries.

This year alone, there have been 107 incidents of gunfire on school grounds, responsible for nearly 30 deaths (as of July 2, 2024).

Citations

Cases of gunfire on school grounds since 2013: Everytown, Gunfire on School Grounds in the United States, 2024

School shootings over time: Everytown, Gunfire on School Grounds in the United States, 2024

Only high-income country in which guns are the leading cause of child and adolescent deaths: Matt McGough, Krutika Amin, Nirmita Panchal, and Cynthia Cox, KFF, Child and Teen Firearm Mortality in the US and Peer Countries, 2023

Firearm deaths account for 20% of all child deaths: Matt McGough, Krutika Amin, Nirmita Panchal, and Cynthia Cox, KFF, Child and Teen Firearm Mortality in the US and Peer Countries, 2023

Mental illness is often stigmatized as being the cause of gun violence. However, only a minority of mass shooters have experienced serious mental illness. It is estimated that 96% of the common violence that occurs would continue even if the elevated risk of violence among people with mental illness was eliminated.

Citations

Mental Illness is not a predictor of violence towards others: Mental Health Alliance, Gun Deaths, Violence, and Mental Health, 2022

Mental illness is not a significant risk factor for gun violence: The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, Mental Illness and Gun Violence, 2020

Mental illness is blamed as the cause: The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, Mental Illness and Gun Violence, 2020

Only a minority of mass shooters have experienced serious mental illness: Jennifer Skeem and Edward Mulvey, Criminology and Public Policy, “What role does serious mental illness play in mass shootings, and how should we address it?”, 2019

People with mental illness are more likely to be victims of violence: Katie O’Connor, Psychiatric News, “Mental Illness Too Often Wrongly Associated With Gun Violence”, 2021

Gun violence may cause mental health issues: The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, Mental Illness and Gun Violence, 2020

Suicide among those with a diagnosis is rare:

  • Source 1: Deborah M. Stone et al., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Vital Signs: Trends in State Suicide Rates — United States, 1999–2016 and Circumstances Contributing to Suicide — 27 States, 2015, 2018

  • Source 2: Joseph C. Franklin et al., American Psychological Association, Psychological Bulletin, Risk Factors for Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors: A Meta-Analysis of 50 Years of Research, 2017

Increased risk of suicide with a gun in the home: Matthew Miller and David Hemenway, The New England Journal of Medicine, Guns and Suicide in the United States, 2008

Nearly half of all suicides involve a gun: Wojciech Kaczkowski et al., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Notes from the Field: Firearm Suicide Rates, by Race and Ethnicity — United States, 2019–2022, 2023

United States rates of mental illness vs. gun violence compared to other countries: The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, Mental Illness and Gun Violence, 2020

Comparison to other high-income countries: Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, On gun violence, the United States is an outlier, 2022

Deaths per 100,000 population by country:

  • Source 1: Wisevoter, Gun Deaths by Country, 2023

  • Source 2: Katherine Leach-Kemon and Rebecca Sirull, University of Washington, The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, On gun violence, the United States is an outlier, 2023

25 times as often: The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, Mental Illness and Gun Violence, 2020

On June 25, 2022, President Biden signed the bipartisan gun safety bill. This new legislation aims to improve mental health support and school safety, restrict firearm access for domestic violence offenders, enable states to put in place laws that will allow authorities to take weapons from those deemed “dangerous,” and toughen background checks for young gun buyers.

A 2022 US Supreme Court ruling has been interpreted by lower courts in such a way as to call some of these aspects of legislation into question. Clarification on whether these and similar restrictions are Constitutionally permissible is likely to come in during the summer of 2024.

Citations

Bipartisan Safer Communities Act: Congress.Gov, S.2938 - Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, 2022

Most significant federal legislation since 1994: Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget, Statement of Administration Policy: S.2938 - Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, 2022

Expanded background checks, “boyfriend loophole”, red flag laws, and illegal gun purchases: Stephanie Lai and Emily Cochrane, The New York Times, “Here’s what is in the Senate’s gun bill - and what was left out.”, 2022

Federally licensed gun dealers: Aaron Sanchez-Guerra, The News & Observer, “How the Senate’s bipartisan gun bill would affect firearm buyers and sellers in NC”, 2022

Mental health and school safety: Kelsey Snell, NPR, “Senators reach final bipartisan agreement on a gun safety bill”, 2022

2023 Court Rulings

This infographic was reviewed by:

  • Paul Helmke, JD, Professor of Practice at Indiana University's O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and Founding Director of the Civic Leaders Living-Learning Center
  • Zirui Song, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Health Care Policy and Medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Massachusetts General Hospital and Director of Research at the HMS Center for Primary Care

To learn more about covering important health care and public health topics, such as gun violence, read the recent work by NIHCM Grantee, Association for Health Care Journalists.

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