"Conversations with ..." is a series of exclusive video interviews with leaders of medical research and policy. In this segment, George Lundberg, MD, discusses why gun control is also a public health issue in addition to a crime problem with David Hemenway, PhD, director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center.
Guns are mostly associated with murder, but, Hemenway told MedPage Today during a visit earlier this year, suicides and unintentional gun violence far outnumber homicides. "I think the reason it is a public health problem is because it affects communities," said Hemenway. "People are afraid to go out, so their kids don't get exercise. It has enormous ramifications for society."
Hemenway and Lundberg discussed lessons that can be applied to the issue from policies developed for the auto industry and influence manufacturers, distributors, and social norms.