Ellicott C. Matthay, Ariana N. Gobaud, Charles C. Branas, Katherine M. Keyes, Brita Roy, and Magdalena Cerdá Thousands of people in the United States die or are injured by firearms each year. Alcohol use increases aggression and violent behavior, impairs judgement, and enhances impulsivity, all of which may increase the risk of perpetrating or experiencing harm from firearm violence. This new scoping review shows that alcohol exposure may increase the risk of firearm-related harm and that policies prohibiting firearm access for people with a history of alcohol-related offences show promise for firearm violence prevention efforts. This review updates a 2016 review on the subject by evaluating recent literature on various aspects of alcohol use, alcohol availability, or alcohol policies and firearm use and related injuries and crimes. In addition to uncovering some associations, the review highlights several research gaps where additional studies using stringent experimental designs may help advance public health response efforts. |
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