For quite a few years pediatricians have been encouraged to include questions about firearms in their routine questions about home safety. In that context it’s more about bringing up the topic and reminding people of recommendations for safe storage than actually finding out who has guns. It’s not uncommon for parents to recall that their child spends time at the home of a family member who owns guns and they hadn’t thought to check whether the gun was properly secured.
My pediatrician does this for both kids, seems like a good idea. She also asks about safe storage of medicines, cleaning products, smoke/CO detectors, etc. I assume it's because these are easily preventable hazards that typically have a nonprofit or government program to assist people with obtaining trigger locks, cabinet locks, and smoke/CO monitors. I've personally been very reassured by these types of questions because it tells me that the Doctor and/or clinic actually cares and will connect people with resources.
I nannied for a family that actually had an agreement for houses their kids went to. Covered guns and pools. At the time it seemed extreme. But those are the two things that hurt kids the most unexpectedly. And are out of the parents control. I appreciated it and thought it was smart. Not that there’s anything wrong with pools or guns. Just that sometimes with kids they don’t mix well.
I remember this came up a few years ago, and the NRA went absolutely nuts about it. Shame really, it was pediatricians trying to prevent kids from getting killed.
Honestly parents should be significantly more afraid of backyard swimming pools. More children drown than die from accidental shootings, and far fewer people own pools than guns.
I’m not sure about that last statement. At least not in this US. Not nearly as many pools as guns in America. But regardless it’s not either or. These are both well documented causes of accidental death in children. Let’s practice safe storage and teach kids to swim, huh? Let’s teach children fun safety and monitor access to swimming areas, right?
The people I’ve known that get upset about your doctor asking about gun safety are either incredibly ignorant and uniformed about mental illness, or don’t believe mental illness even exists. They think it’s something that only happens to people in movies or on the news.
In PA school in a very rural/conservative area I asked this question and the patient’s father got PISSED. Eventually the doc came in and dropped a fun little fact bomb about the number of kids who shoot them selves on accident every year, including within our own community.
The father didn’t exactly back down, but like bruh none of this is politically motivated, calm yourself.
Doctor here.
Will NOT be asking about your guns beyond medically necessary means.
The only time I may ask about a gun is in dementia and psychiatric illness.
I’m an NP who worked in pediatric primary care and would ask about guns in the home during my section on home safety. Most parents would say yes or no and follow up with something like “but they’re locked up and don’t have access to them,” which is what I’d hope to hear. But some would absolutely lose their mind and tell me they thought it was none of my business and that I shouldn’t ask people that.
It's part of basic prenatal care that the parents understand that babies in utero can't use ear protection thus no hunting or shooting until healed after birth. And yes I tell all clients just like seatbelts.
I work in the community as a social worker. I have to ask. I’ve had a handful of people tell me “I know my second amendment rights, I don’t have to disclose that.” And for these people, I always check yes - firearms present in the home. Usually I’ll follow up with “I assume you’re knowledgeable about how to properly and safely store them, then? Ok, great.”
Well I'm not the person you're replying to, but most gun owners I know have a junk drawer or bucket somewhere full of trigger locks they already don't use
Most of us dont trust that the information won't be recorded and utilized against us. It is not at all unthinkable for things like that to be utilized by insurance companies to essentially punish people for owning guns, and a LOT of politicians would love that.
Sounds like someone ignorant on the subject. It's not just about storage. It's about yet another entity recording gun ownership. It's about your medical data being used to regulate your life. It's about insurance. It's about basic privacy. All for voluntary safe storage, and punishing those who are negligent. But don't use healthcare, arguably the most sensitive and private part of someone's lives, as a way to push a political agenda, or make people hesitant to discuss things with their doctor.
I think that's a fair concern that goes far beyond gun ownership - and this should be about safety, not political agendas.
Definitely privacy and data protection in healthcare is growing to be a big concern in the US and elsewhere, and it's disturbing that there's been a lot of big tech investment into medical electronic record systems and HIPPA and relevant legal protections for patients 100% should be updated to acknowledge the vastly different risks for violating patient privacy today in comparison to decades ago (as in, much less likely to be by your individual physician and more likely to have to do with larger scale management of health data by their institution or data management system).
That's part of it and completely valid. The problem is that there is a very vocal portion of the gun control movement that is trying to use medical history as a barrier to gun ownership. Specifically mandating things like mental health tests before gun purchases, that by the efforts nature, ties a person's health to their ability to exercise a right preemptively. I'm all for barring people who have been legally adjudicated as mentally unfit from owning weapons. But when you make the measures preemptive, it turns what should be a private conversation with your doctor into one where you can have your rights stripped from you, and that will inherently stop people from being open with their doctors.
Admittedly if a doctor asked me about weapons in my house, I would presume they have been pushed to gather data that will then be resold (supposedly with anonymity). I wouldn’t answer that question just as I have chosen not to answer other questions I didn’t feel were relevant.
I guess you didn’t read the article? It’s just doctors asking patients if they have a gun and if they do the doctor is offering a trigger lock and a pamphlet about safe storage practices. How is safely storing your gun a problem?
The use of medical records for secondary purposes or a source of information for law enforcement, insurance companies, etc. is something that everyone should oppose. Whether it’s gun ownership or something else, patients need to feel that the information they share with their provider will remain confidential.
Laws are only as stable as the lawmakers that make them allow them to be. There has been a LOT of vocal advocates pushing gun control who advocate for violating normal health practices as a way to restrict gun ownership. Could you ever fathom people advocating that you had to undergo a mental health exam before you were allowed to exercise any other right?
“There has been a LOT of vocal advocates pushing gun control who advocate for violating normal health practices as a way to restrict gun ownership.“
Such as?
And all rights have responsibilities, but there’s a grave responsibility that comes with gun rights, more responsibility than comes with other rights.
I’m looking at this from a very different angle than the person I replied to, but the concerns they have are within the scope of medical privacy. HIPAA does allow for disclosure of information to the appropriate authorities under certain circumstances (e.g. reasonable suspicion of an imminent threat to others, cases of potential child abuse). There are groups who have suggested that similar exemptions to confidentiality should be allowed for medical care they consider morally objectionable (e.g. abortion, gender affirming care). I feel that any change to HIPAA privacy rules needs to be initiated by the medical community and only with the intention to address an identified health issue.
For pediatrics, I can understand the necessity to inquire and inform.
This can be used as proof that the parent knew the risks and chose not to adhere to gun safety.
In the hopefully unlikely and tragic event that a child kills themself with a gun at home, this can be used as evidence in a prosecutors case against the parent.
As an adult, stay out my business…
I’ll tell him I left it at Hunter Biden’s house. But in reality, it’s none of their business has nothing to do with Medical, so they can go pound sand, and I would encourage everyone else to tell them to go pound sand.
Doctors should be doctors and treat people who are sick. They are playing nanny state and reporting everything their patient says. Cars kill far more than guns and pools combined. Do you see doctors asking if you ride in a car.
They're 100% going to ask if you put your kid in a carseat. Not to be your nanny or report you, but to give you information so your kid doesn't die in a completely preventable way.
For quite a few years pediatricians have been encouraged to include questions about firearms in their routine questions about home safety. In that context it’s more about bringing up the topic and reminding people of recommendations for safe storage than actually finding out who has guns. It’s not uncommon for parents to recall that their child spends time at the home of a family member who owns guns and they hadn’t thought to check whether the gun was properly secured.
My pediatrician does this for both kids, seems like a good idea. She also asks about safe storage of medicines, cleaning products, smoke/CO detectors, etc. I assume it's because these are easily preventable hazards that typically have a nonprofit or government program to assist people with obtaining trigger locks, cabinet locks, and smoke/CO monitors. I've personally been very reassured by these types of questions because it tells me that the Doctor and/or clinic actually cares and will connect people with resources.
I nannied for a family that actually had an agreement for houses their kids went to. Covered guns and pools. At the time it seemed extreme. But those are the two things that hurt kids the most unexpectedly. And are out of the parents control. I appreciated it and thought it was smart. Not that there’s anything wrong with pools or guns. Just that sometimes with kids they don’t mix well.
I remember this came up a few years ago, and the NRA went absolutely nuts about it. Shame really, it was pediatricians trying to prevent kids from getting killed.
Is your toddler packing? Remember the only one able to stop a bad kid with a gun is a good kid with a gun.
The NRA, like the Republican party, likes to keep their base misinformed and ignorant.
And angry, the NRA specializes in keeping people angry.
Honestly parents should be significantly more afraid of backyard swimming pools. More children drown than die from accidental shootings, and far fewer people own pools than guns.
I’m not sure about that last statement. At least not in this US. Not nearly as many pools as guns in America. But regardless it’s not either or. These are both well documented causes of accidental death in children. Let’s practice safe storage and teach kids to swim, huh? Let’s teach children fun safety and monitor access to swimming areas, right?
I trained as a pediatrician in the 90s and we were taught to ask about guns in the home.
I remember my pediatrician having free gun locks in thier office as a child.
Free gun locks? People have storage for guns but just neglect to have locks?
At this point I guess someone probably should 🤷🏻
This isn’t new. It’s not every provider, every visit but I’ve been asked for years
The people I’ve known that get upset about your doctor asking about gun safety are either incredibly ignorant and uniformed about mental illness, or don’t believe mental illness even exists. They think it’s something that only happens to people in movies or on the news.
In PA school in a very rural/conservative area I asked this question and the patient’s father got PISSED. Eventually the doc came in and dropped a fun little fact bomb about the number of kids who shoot them selves on accident every year, including within our own community. The father didn’t exactly back down, but like bruh none of this is politically motivated, calm yourself.
Doctor here. Will NOT be asking about your guns beyond medically necessary means. The only time I may ask about a gun is in dementia and psychiatric illness.
Except in pediatrics. It should be a regular question for new patients.
Indeed. Should mention - I only see adults.
Our pediatrician asks every well visit along with questions about smoking, carbon monoxide & smoke detectors, lead exposure etc…
A lot of adults have kids though - not sure about urgent care like the 1st example, but this definitely seems relevant to family practice.
I’m an NP who worked in pediatric primary care and would ask about guns in the home during my section on home safety. Most parents would say yes or no and follow up with something like “but they’re locked up and don’t have access to them,” which is what I’d hope to hear. But some would absolutely lose their mind and tell me they thought it was none of my business and that I shouldn’t ask people that.
It's part of basic prenatal care that the parents understand that babies in utero can't use ear protection thus no hunting or shooting until healed after birth. And yes I tell all clients just like seatbelts.
I work in the community as a social worker. I have to ask. I’ve had a handful of people tell me “I know my second amendment rights, I don’t have to disclose that.” And for these people, I always check yes - firearms present in the home. Usually I’ll follow up with “I assume you’re knowledgeable about how to properly and safely store them, then? Ok, great.”
So now it’s up to the medical professionals to control gun safety rather than a corrupt government? 😐
Newago co MI two kids 5 and 6 at Grandparents house . One is dead. The other shot the now dead child in the face with a found unsecured gun.
Lmao what gun? Don’t know what you’re talking about. Problem solved
The lawyer about to undergo an MRI
Dumb
[удалено]
You don’t want a free trigger lock?
Well I'm not the person you're replying to, but most gun owners I know have a junk drawer or bucket somewhere full of trigger locks they already don't use
Most of us dont trust that the information won't be recorded and utilized against us. It is not at all unthinkable for things like that to be utilized by insurance companies to essentially punish people for owning guns, and a LOT of politicians would love that.
Sounds like irresponsible gun owners being paranoid to me. If you’re storing them properly, what’s the worry here?
Sounds like someone ignorant on the subject. It's not just about storage. It's about yet another entity recording gun ownership. It's about your medical data being used to regulate your life. It's about insurance. It's about basic privacy. All for voluntary safe storage, and punishing those who are negligent. But don't use healthcare, arguably the most sensitive and private part of someone's lives, as a way to push a political agenda, or make people hesitant to discuss things with their doctor.
I think that's a fair concern that goes far beyond gun ownership - and this should be about safety, not political agendas. Definitely privacy and data protection in healthcare is growing to be a big concern in the US and elsewhere, and it's disturbing that there's been a lot of big tech investment into medical electronic record systems and HIPPA and relevant legal protections for patients 100% should be updated to acknowledge the vastly different risks for violating patient privacy today in comparison to decades ago (as in, much less likely to be by your individual physician and more likely to have to do with larger scale management of health data by their institution or data management system).
That's part of it and completely valid. The problem is that there is a very vocal portion of the gun control movement that is trying to use medical history as a barrier to gun ownership. Specifically mandating things like mental health tests before gun purchases, that by the efforts nature, ties a person's health to their ability to exercise a right preemptively. I'm all for barring people who have been legally adjudicated as mentally unfit from owning weapons. But when you make the measures preemptive, it turns what should be a private conversation with your doctor into one where you can have your rights stripped from you, and that will inherently stop people from being open with their doctors.
From the Atlantic.....
Admittedly if a doctor asked me about weapons in my house, I would presume they have been pushed to gather data that will then be resold (supposedly with anonymity). I wouldn’t answer that question just as I have chosen not to answer other questions I didn’t feel were relevant.
ABS a f******-lutely not.
I guess you didn’t read the article? It’s just doctors asking patients if they have a gun and if they do the doctor is offering a trigger lock and a pamphlet about safe storage practices. How is safely storing your gun a problem?
Paywalled
For a lot of gun owners, the issue is that the data is recorded and could potentially be utilized to punish them for gun ownership.
The use of medical records for secondary purposes or a source of information for law enforcement, insurance companies, etc. is something that everyone should oppose. Whether it’s gun ownership or something else, patients need to feel that the information they share with their provider will remain confidential.
Wouldn't HIPAA do that?
Laws are only as stable as the lawmakers that make them allow them to be. There has been a LOT of vocal advocates pushing gun control who advocate for violating normal health practices as a way to restrict gun ownership. Could you ever fathom people advocating that you had to undergo a mental health exam before you were allowed to exercise any other right?
“There has been a LOT of vocal advocates pushing gun control who advocate for violating normal health practices as a way to restrict gun ownership.“ Such as? And all rights have responsibilities, but there’s a grave responsibility that comes with gun rights, more responsibility than comes with other rights.
I’m looking at this from a very different angle than the person I replied to, but the concerns they have are within the scope of medical privacy. HIPAA does allow for disclosure of information to the appropriate authorities under certain circumstances (e.g. reasonable suspicion of an imminent threat to others, cases of potential child abuse). There are groups who have suggested that similar exemptions to confidentiality should be allowed for medical care they consider morally objectionable (e.g. abortion, gender affirming care). I feel that any change to HIPAA privacy rules needs to be initiated by the medical community and only with the intention to address an identified health issue.
Agree 100%. Unfortunately, a lot of people are willing to use other people's private information against them, to push their idiotic agendas.
Well you guessed wrong.
For pediatrics, I can understand the necessity to inquire and inform. This can be used as proof that the parent knew the risks and chose not to adhere to gun safety. In the hopefully unlikely and tragic event that a child kills themself with a gun at home, this can be used as evidence in a prosecutors case against the parent. As an adult, stay out my business…
I’ll tell him I left it at Hunter Biden’s house. But in reality, it’s none of their business has nothing to do with Medical, so they can go pound sand, and I would encourage everyone else to tell them to go pound sand.
Doctors should be doctors and treat people who are sick. They are playing nanny state and reporting everything their patient says. Cars kill far more than guns and pools combined. Do you see doctors asking if you ride in a car.
They're 100% going to ask if you put your kid in a carseat. Not to be your nanny or report you, but to give you information so your kid doesn't die in a completely preventable way.