FACTS AND FIGURES
Learn about statistics, trends, and other relevant insights for behavioral health practitioners working to reduce health disparities and improve outcomes for people in underserved communities.
Mass Violence Preparedness and Coping
Mass violence, particularly involving firearms, has become a growing concern that deeply affects youth and young adults, particularly
in underserved and minoritized communities. According to a recent Johns Hopkins publication, in 2022, firearms accounted for the deaths
of over 2,000 children and teens (ages 1-17) and 30% of deaths in older adolescents (ages 15-17) in the United States.
1 The emotional and
psychological effects of gun violence and mass violence events, like mass shootings, can last long after the event, with many young survivors
facing mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. Studies show that up to 35% of children and adolescents
exposed to mass violence experience psychological distress, such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
2
The impact is especially severe for BIPOC youth, who are disproportionately affected and face unique challenges in accessing timely and effective
mental health care. In 2022, 55% of older Black teens who died were killed by gun violence.
1 Research from the Kaiser Family Foundation highlights that
black youth experience gun-related deaths at rates four times higher than their white peers.
3 These disparities only heighten the risk of long-term trauma
in these already vulnerable populations. Addressing these inequities by providing culturally sensitive, trauma-informed care and early intervention is
essential to reducing the lasting impacts of mass violence and gun violence, ensuring that young people, particularly from minoritized communities,
receive the support they need to heal.
Source: Johns Hopkins Gun Violence in the United States 2022 Examining the Burden Among Children & Teens
Please see resources from SAMHSA addressing mass violence preparedness and coping:
References
- Villarreal, S., Kim, R., Wagner, E., Somayaji, N., Davis, A., & Crifasi, C. K. (2024). Gun Violence in the United States 2022: Examining
the Burden Among Children and Teens. Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health DOI: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/sites/default/files/2024-09/2022-cgvs-gun-violence-in-the-united-states.pdf
.
- National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (2024). Coping After Mass Violence .
- Kaiser Family Foundation. (2024). The Impact of Gun Violence on Children and Adolescents .