Firearms

A Swedish study matched 141 cases of children and teenagers hospitalised due to firearm injuries during a 21 year period with 141 controls to track the long term profile of both groups. Most had been shot by airguns and periods of hospitalisation were usually brief. Ten years down the track, cases had experienced higher levels of morbidity from all causes, with all the diagnoses of severe psychopathology being among the case group. Criminal histories were more frequent among cases, who were also younger at the time of the first offence. The study suggests that “irrespective of firearm laws, young people suffering from firearm injuries, even if the injury is classified as accidental, run a higher risk of becoming psychosocially disadvantaged and criminal as adults” indicating that preventive measures will benefit not only society as a whole, but also at-risk young people themselves (

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Toddlers and swimming pools—two views on pool fencing

Will fencing of residential swimming pools prevent toddler drownings? When Queensland's landmark swimming pool fencing legislation was implemented …