School Nursing

The Relentless School Nurse: Gun Deaths in U.S. – New Study Challenges Mental Illness Narrative

Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FAAN

The source for this blog post comes from the following article:

Study finds prevalence of firearms is driving soaring gun deaths in U.S. – not mental illness By Ben Botkin, Oregon Capital Chronicle

The fallacy of attributing the U.S. firearm mortality epidemic to mental health is a groundbreaking new study led by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) that sheds light on the driving force behind the surge in gun deaths across the United States. The research, published in the journal PLOS One, concludes that the prevalence of accessible firearms in the U.S. – not mental illness – is the primary factor contributing to the high rate of gun-related fatalities.

Dr. Archie Bleyer, a clinical research professor at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and lead author of the study, was personally motivated to investigate this issue after a tragic event close to home. His 12-year-old grandson’s classmate died by firearm, a heartbreaking incident that Bleyer recalls: “He left a note and used the gun, but didn’t need to die because he had a bad day.” This personal connection underscores the human cost behind the statistics and adds a poignant dimension to the research.

The study compared mental health disorders and firearm data from 2000 to 2019 across the U.S. and 40 other countries with similar socio-demographic profiles. The findings reveal that while the prevalence of mental health disorders in the U.S. is comparable to other nations, the firearm death rate is 20 times higher.

Since 2000, the rate of total firearm deaths in the U.S. has increased by 23%, while the other 40 countries combined experienced a 27% decrease in gun-related deaths during the same period. This stark contrast challenges the common assumption that mental health disorders are primarily responsible for the high U.S. firearm death rate.

Notably, the findings directly contradict the false narrative pushed by the National Rifle Association (NRA), which has consistently blamed mental illness for mass shootings and gun violence. Following high-profile incidents like the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, NRA leadership has attempted to shift focus away from gun safety measures and towards mental health as the root cause.

The emphasis on mental health as the primary cause of gun violence is a misleading narrative that further stigmatizes individuals with mental illness. Research shows that people with mental health conditions are far more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators. In fact, only about 4% of violence towards others in the United States can be attributed to mental illness.
 
This study suggests that focusing solely on mental health deflects from the more immediate and addressable issue of firearm accessibility. By challenging the mental illness narrative, we can reduce stigma and promote more effective approaches to reducing gun violence while supporting those with mental health conditions.
 
The research provides a critical evidence-based perspective for policymakers and public health officials working to reduce gun violence. It underscores the importance of addressing responsible gun ownership and accessibility as key factors in reducing firearm-related fatalities in the United States. This shift in focus from mental health to firearm accessibility could have significant implications for policy development and public health initiatives aimed at reducing gun-related deaths and injuries.
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Published by Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FAAN

Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FAAN is a Nationally Certified School Nurse, in her 24th year as a New Jersey school nurse in the Camden City School District. Robin is the New Jersey Director for the National Association of School Nurses. She is proud to be a Johnson & Johnson School Health Leadership Fellow and past program mentor. Robin has been honored by multiple awards for her work in school nursing and population health. She serves as faculty in the School Nurse Certificate Program at Rutgers University-Camden School of Nursing. Robin writes The Relentless School Nurse, a popular blog. Her extensive work in school nursing was included as a case study in the National Academies of Medicine Future of Nursing 2030 report. You can follow Robin on Twitter at @RobinCogan.

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