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Firearms, mental illness, dementia and the clinician
Author(s) -
Wand Anne P F,
Peisah Carmelle,
Strukovski JulieAnne,
Brodaty Henry
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/mja13.11318
Subject(s) - harm , obligation , possession (linguistics) , dementia , mental illness , medicine , medical emergency , psychiatry , suicide prevention , poison control , mental health , psychology , law , political science , social psychology , linguistics , philosophy , disease , pathology
Summary Clinicians have an obligation to report to state or territory police any concerns about risk of harm from patients with access to firearms. Dementia is an under‐recognised medical problem which may increase the risk of firearm injury or violence in those with such access. There are no guidelines for clinicians regarding mandatory screening for access to firearms, and currently the onus is on the firearm licence holder to declare any relevant medical conditions. We propose that clinicians should screen patients for firearm possession and use a combined capacity and risk assessment approach to evaluating fitness for firearm licences.