Nearly Two-Thirds of U.S. Adults Have Experienced In-Person Gun Violence

Marked racial/ethnic disparities exist for both in-person and media gun violence exposure

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, May 7, 2025 (HealthDay News) — There are significant racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in gun violence exposure (GVE) within the United States, according to a study published online April 29 in The Lancet Regional Health: Americas.

Daniel C. Semenza, Ph.D., from Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey, and colleagues analyzed the prevalence of in-person and media GVE among a nationally representative sample of 8,009 U.S. adults.

The researchers found that nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults have experienced in-person gun violence, but there are significant racial/ethnic disparities in GVE. Higher prevalence rates of all individual exposures, except firearm suicide, were reported by Black participants (e.g., 38.5 percent reported knowing a family member or friend who has been shot versus 25.53 percent of Hispanic participants and 15.78 percent of White participants). Higher media GVE exposure also occurred among Black adults. Neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage was consistently linked to greater in-person GVE exposure. In an adjusted analysis, racial/ethnic disparities remained, including cumulative in-person exposure (Black adults: β = 0.29; Hispanic adults: β = 0.13) and high media exposure (Black adults: odds ratio, 1.57).

“Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to understand the causal pathways of GVE and its health impacts, as well as the effectiveness of different intervention strategies,” the authors write. “Policymakers and public health officials must prioritize efforts to reduce GVE and mitigate its effects, particularly in marginalized communities, to promote health equity and social justice.”

All authors were supported by the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center in this study.