Addressing Gun Violence in Our Country; Week of February 23, 2024

 

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Good morning from our Elkins Park campus where Mother Nature cannot decide if it’s winter or spring! This week we hosted our Drexel colleagues for our monthly Salus-Drexel Integration Council meeting. It was great to hear progress reports from our “Thread Leads” on the substantial work undertaken to ensure seamless integration. I know President John Fry joins me in thanking our DEIB/student Life, finance, IT, MARCOM, legal and risk management leads for the work they’re doing with each of the seven verticals. It was also great to welcome Drexel Provost Paul Jensen to provide for faculty a comprehensive overview of Drexel’s strategic plan to faculty. We look forward to inviting Drexel colleagues to a future university wide meeting to share strategic priorities with our faculty and staff. The more we communicate and interact, the more comfortable everyone will feel as we merge our two institutions. Here are some other items I hope you will find of interest:

POWERFUL PARTNERSHIPS: When you get a chance, check out the 2023 President’s Report titled “Powerful Partnerships” by Drexel President John Fry. In addition to reviewing some key milestones and achievements at Drexel from 2023, President Fry addresses the formalized merger agreement between Drexel and Salus and the benefits of such a merger. To read the report, click here.

CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR: On top of her busy schedule as a second-year student in the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University, Edesthele Decius ‘26OD released a children’s book titled, “Grandma, Can You See?” on Feb. 6, 2024. The concept of a children’s book came about from her passion for working with/for children. Click here to read more.

SAG NOMINATIONS: If you haven't already done so, please take the time to make your Salus Awards Gala (SAG) nominations and recognize those who have made your experience at Salus great. If you have already made your nominations, please encourage your classmates and faculty members to do the same. Eligible nominations must include a thoughtful description. Nominations will close Friday, March 1, 2024. Nominate Faculty here! Nominate Classmates and Student Organizations here. There are also QR codes around campus that will lead you to the nomination forms.

FINAL THOUGHTS: It’s been a while since I’ve talked about the issue of gun violence in our country, but last week’s mass shooting in Kansas City and this week’s tragic death of a firefighter, police officer and paramedic due to gun violence has once again raised the issue to the forefront of my thoughts. Along with the opioid epidemic, gun violence is a key public health issue uniquely facing our country and more so than any other developed country in the world. Compounding the issue is that of the 50,000 annual deaths by suicide in the U.S. with over fifty percent involving the use of firearms. There has been a 35% increase in deaths by suicide over the past twenty years in the U.S. which is antithetical to what is occurring globally, with deaths by suicide rates decreasing.

It’s not surprising that people who attempt suicide with a firearm are 90% successful as opposed to those who attempt suicide by overdose. Studies suggest that many suicide attempts are likely to have been, “hastily decided upon and to involve little or no planning.”. Following a failed suicide attempt, many go on to live normal lives with only about 7% actually succeeding in committing suicide later in life.

With over 400 million guns circulating in the U.S., it’s fairly easy for many to acquire a firearm. Red Flag laws in some states have proven effective but until these laws are passed more uniformly across the nation, access to firearms by people who should not have one will likely remain easy. In addition to controlling access to firearms, we need to do a much better job in assuring access to mental health assets within communities. Both of these issues will require proactive leadership at all levels of government and civic involvement.

From a public health perspective, it is hard to reconcile why the U.S. has not been more proactive in restricting firearms to those who should not have them and providing mental health support to those in need. As health care providers we have a responsibility to educate our law and policy makers so they can make informed decisions about this often-contentious issue.

As you prepare for this weekend, please check out the references in my update and reflect on how you can help to address this important public health issue. Stay safe, continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike