The years 2002 to 2022 saw an increase in teen handgun-carrying in Florida

In Florida, adolescent handgun-carrying is increasing, while handgun-carrying in school, favorable attitudes toward handgun-carrying in school, and ease of handgun access are decreasing, according to a study published online July 7 in Pediatrics.

Erin Wright-Kelly, Dr.P.H., from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, and colleagues assessed changes in general handgun-carrying, in-school carrying, favorable attitudes toward handgun-carrying in school, and ease of handgun access among adolescents in Florida. The analysis included 701,649 participants in the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (2002 to 2022).

The researchers found that over time, Florida’s adolescent general handgun-carrying increased by 65% (3.7 to 6.0%), while handgun-carrying in school decreased by 60% (1.1 to 0.4%). Increases in general handgun-carrying were particularly attributable to female, middle-school, and white students, who had 3.04, 2.16, and 1.99 higher odds of carrying, respectively, in 2022 than in 2002. Decreased odds of handgun-carrying in school were attributable to male and rural students, with 70% and 80% decreases observed, respectively.

There were decreases seen in odds of favorable attitudes toward handgun-carrying in school over time (3.0 to 2.2%). Ease of handgun access also decreased in odds over time (18.4 to 14.1%).

“Specific sociodemographic groups of adolescents contributed substantially to these changes, and some groups report higher prevalences in current handgun-carrying and related beliefs, which demonstrates the need for prevention efforts addressing the risks of handgun access and carrying to be tailored to sociodemographic groups,” the authors write.

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