Maddy Levine-Wolf
Appearances
Health Chatter
New Year More Health Chatter
Yeah, so I was looking back at our episodes and I really enjoyed the pet episode we did earlier in the year. I thought that was fun. I have two pets and I just thought it was a really fun episode and something that... In public health, I kind of take a very large public health approach. Everything's public health. Everything can be public health.
Health Chatter
New Year More Health Chatter
All the terms, kind of how we build our communities and shape our communities. And I think pets are a really big part of that. And I just think it was an interesting episode that a lot of folks don't think about and the role pets play in our lives. And it was probably one of my favorite episodes we've done.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
We recommend that you check them out at humanpartnership.org along with our website as well, which is healthchatterpodcast.com. So today, a sad topic, but yet I'm glad that we're talking about it because just merely talking about it and bringing it to you, the listening audience, will heighten our awareness about this topic of unintentional firearm deaths. We have two great guests.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
And I'm sure that there are analogous groups, you know, in across across the country, at least I hope. You know, let me let me ask this question. You know, it's like I grew up, I'm sure most of us did with squirt guns. OK, or just any play type of guns. Have we also gotten to the point from a prevention standpoint that that should be taboo with kids growing up?
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
Yeah. You know, Anthony, I've got a question for you. You know, you obviously went through an unfortunate event where you were shot, right? and you lost your eyesight, have you ever reflected upon the idea of, okay, I'm involved in this subject because what has happened to me? Okay. On the other hand, um, have you ever thought about, would you have gotten involved in it?
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
I'll introduce one and then I'll let Tom introduce another guest who's a colleague of his. I've known Tom Kaki, Dr. Tom Kaki, we figured for close to 40 years. Tom is an absolutely wonderful colleague, a true clinical expert in the area of cardiology, but also A wonderful colleague in the public health arena.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
If some, if an event has not happened to you from a prevention standpoint?
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
Yeah. And, you know, Tom, I'm sure we can reflect on this, that, you know, many of the major public health problems that we're facing, it's not unusual that people get involved with them based on experience that they've had one way or the other. And like, for instance, I think of you, Tom, in the cardiology field and your work many years ago on smoke-free.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
And you understood the connection between cardiac events and smoking. So I guess it's not... unusual that people get involved based on being involved in an event or what have you. Does that seem reasonable to you as well?
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
Yeah. Yeah. All right. So let's talk about, okay, what is it? Really, what is it that brings the issue of unintentional firearm deaths to to a heightened level, for instance, in the African-American community? What is it? Why are they like X number of percentage points above the other groups of people?
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
Hello, everybody. Welcome to Health Chatter. Today's episode is on unintentional firearm deaths for children, unfortunately, between the ages of birth and 17. We've got two great guests with us today. We'll get to them in just a moment. I'd like to thank our great crew. Our research crew includes Maddy Levine-Wolf, Aaron Collins, Deandra Howard, and Sheridan Nygaard.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
I can't really begin to tell you how many arenas Tom has been involved with in the public health arena. and has really been a strong voice connecting the public health side of all these different issues that we deal with, with the medical aspects. It's been a pleasure, truly a pleasure having him as a colleague, and we still connect to this day.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
You know, I mean, so now they think of it as, you know, I hope that other population groups do not get a false sense of security. In other words, our safety. In other words, you know, if my kids are white. OK, well, not a problem. They're safe. But think about that.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
You know, Tom, you've been involved in the prevention arena. I mean, for many, many public health issues. So reflect on what Anthony just said. You know, it's like, you know, you and I know prevention is a tough game. It really is. And I've often said that prevention isn't as sexy as intervention, okay? And so what's your sense, Woe, these years?
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
So Tom, thanks, many thanks for being on our show today. Tom, I'll let you introduce Anthony.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
So Tom, what about the idea of something, I'm just trying to think creatively here as far as prevention is concerned, community conversations around safety, frankly, maybe in general, that, you know, so in other words, it wouldn't be just focused on gun safety, which might just keep people away just by the mere title, but safety overall.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
And then within that conversation, you included gun safety as one example of things that we should be doing to make all of us safer. Is that even feasible?
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
Anthony, what do you think about that? Community conversations around a generalized topic of safety that would include gun safety so that people wouldn't necessarily be turned off by the subject of just gun safety, but just generalized safety.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
You know, it's interesting, and I'm sure Anthony and Tom, you can reflect on this. It was only, what, maybe a couple years ago now that data from the Centers for Disease Control was allowed to be analyzed and looked at in order to start assessing gun violence, and then consequently gun safety, which is mind boggling to me personally. I mean, it's just like, what the heck here?
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
But at least now we're starting to get the information out, like all the different research and the statistics, and maybe just that would be the common denominator of knowledge in order to get the conversations really going nationally, I think.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
Well, I compliment you on your efforts. And I hope I'm speaking for the public that we appreciate your insights, your storytelling, and your commitment to change. Tom, last thoughts.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
You know, I'll tell you, it's sad that we have to talk about these types of things, but yet the fact that we are, hopefully will be wake-up calls for a lot of people to increase their awareness, to increase their safety thinking overall. And I compliment both you, Anthony, and Tom for your commitment to change. So thank you for being on Health Chatter.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
We hope that as more information comes your way, that you understand that you can always be on Health Chatter podcast and make these podcasts available for communication purposes for the people that you deal with. So many, many thanks. To our listening audience, we have great shows coming up.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
We're going to be looking at the new drugs that are coming out for weight management and also a subject of Pharmageddon, the idea of many, many drugs. And is this just normal fix-it-alls for everything? So stay tuned on that. And in the meantime, everybody, keep health, chatting...
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
Anthony, it's great. Great to have you. And I'm giving you a virtual hug. So there you go. So thanks for being on our show today. So let's talk about this issue of unintentional Firearm deaths. What I thought I would do is, you know, our illustrious research gang has put together some statistics. And then I thought maybe Tom and Anthony, you can respond to this.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
So it's a leading cause of death, unintentional injuries, leading cause of death among U.S. children and adolescents from, again, from birth to 17 years. And firearms are a leading injury cause.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
method which is the sad part of all of this in 2021 a couple years ago now approximately 30 million children live in homes with firearms 4.6 million in households reporting storing firearms loaded and unlocked in other words ready to to be fired um When we kind of break this down a little bit by age and sex and race, a majority of the deaths occurring among boys, about 83.1%.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
And the highest age range is in ages 11 to 15, non-Hispanic, Black, or African-American amount to close to 40%. of the unintentional deaths. And I can go on. So let's just start there. Let's talk about the problem. So Tom, you wanna start us out?
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
Sheridan also provides us with some great marketing skills, so thank you to all of you. Also, I'd like to thank Matthew Campbell, who's our production great assistant, who gets these shows out to you, the listening audience, in perfect form, along with some great music. So thank you to Matthew as well. And then, of course, there's
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
Clarence Jones, who's my colleague and co-host of the show, who is down in Memphis right now in the airport. So thanks for working it out so that you can still be on the show today, Clarence. It's always great to have your voice. Finally, I'd like to thank Human Partnership, who is our sponsor for these shows. It's a great community health organization.
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
So Tom, let me, you know, you bring up an interesting scenario. So let's just take a parent who's got a young kid and their young child is going to go, wants to go play with a friend. Have we gotten to the point where parents need to ask the other parent if you have a gun in the house? Is it stored properly? I mean, are we at that point? Or do we just go with trust, I guess?
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
So what's your sense on that? Where are we in the prevention arena, the safety arena?
Health Chatter
Unintentional Firearm Deaths
Are we seeing this in other states as well, that gun locks are being made available? Are you aware of other states?