Over 60% of Illinois parents had never asked another parent about an unlocked firearm in their home before allowing their child to visit for a playdate, according to a survey from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago published in Pediatrics.
Many parents reported they had not asked about firearms because it never occurred to them to do so, which highlights a critical need to raise awareness of this important safety concern.
Among children aged 0-14 years old, almost 20% of unintentional firearm-related deaths occur at a friend's home. Furthermore, approximately 40% of U.S. households with children have a firearm in the home, yet only 44% of these households store firearms locked and unloaded, the most secure possible manner.
"Parents need to approach the topic of firearm safety in the homes their child visits in the same way they would ask other parents about supervision during playdates or similar questions related to their child's safety," said lead author Samaa Kemal, MD, MPH, Emergency Medicine physician at Lurie Children's and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
"Parents need to ask about the presence of firearms in the home and about secure storage methods. These discussions with other parents are crucial for prevention of children's injury and death from improperly stored firearms."
Survey responses were received from 1,000 Illinois parents. Dr. Kemal and colleagues found that parents were less likely to ask about firearms if they were female, over 40 years old, living in rural areas, did not have a college degree and had lower household income. There were no differences based on parent race and ethnicity or ages of children in the home.