Prevalence of firearms, not mental illness, driving gun deaths in U.S., according to OHSU study

Think Out Loud

Hardly a week goes by in the U.S. without a mass shooting, as the recent shooting at a high school in Georgia earlier this month reminds us of. In that tragedy, a 14-year-old student is suspected of killing two students and two teachers with a semiautomatic assault-style rifle which was legally purchased by his father. The National Rifle Association, along with some conservative lawmakers and the gun lobby argue that mental illness is to blame for mass shootings – not the easy access to firearms.

A new study by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University challenges that view. It compared the U.S. to 40 other countries for the prevalence of mental health disorders and deaths from firearms over a 20-year period, from 2000 to 2019. It found that death by firearms was 20 times greater in the U.S. compared to the other nations, while the prevalence of mental health disorders in the U.S. was similar. It also found that the firearm death rate decreased, on average, in those other countries whereas it increased sharply in the U.S. over that timeframe. Joining us to share details about the study is Archie Bleyer, a pediatric and young adult oncologist at OHSU.