Firearm ownership among female physicians in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Physicians have been called upon to counsel patients about firearm safety, but the personal prevalence of firearm ownership among physicians is poorly established. METHODS: We examined responses to the question "Do you keep a gun/firearm in your home?" from the Women Physicians' Health Study, a nationally representative survey of US female physicians (n = 4,501). RESULTS: Among female physicians, 16.5% reported having a firearm in their homes. Those who were older, married, practicing in a rural region, and residing in the South Central or Mountain states were more likely to report having a firearm in the home. Emergency medicine specialists, Protestants, physicians reporting a history of depression, and those on call more than six times per month were also more likely to report keeping a firearm in their home. Female physicians residing on the East Coast, Hindus, and Jews were least likely to report keeping a firearm in the home. CONCLUSIONS: In the United States, the proportion of female physicians who report having a firearm in the home was about half that reported by other women and one third that reported by men. This observation may have important implications for encouraging female physicians to counsel their patients about firearm ownership and storage.