Gun Violence Exposure & Chronic Pain
Research examining the long-term health consequences of violence exposure continues to expand beyond immediate injury and trauma. In “What doesn’t kill us, hurts us longer: a cross-sectional analysis of gun violence exposure and chronic pain in the United States,” published in BMC Public Health, Daniel C. Semenza, who teaches in the Criminal Justice MA program, and co-author Lester C. Engels, a Prevention Science PhD candidate, investigate how exposure to gun violence shapes chronic pain outcomes across the United States adult population.
Using nationally representative survey data, the study examines both direct and indirect exposure – including being threatened with a firearm, witnessing shootings, hearing gunshots, or knowing someone injured or killed by gun violence. Findings show consistent associations between cumulative exposure and increased likelihood of persistent pain, pain that limits daily activities, and pain affecting work and family life, pointing to consequences that extend well beyond the moment of violence itself.
The research highlights an important public health implication: experiences of violence exposure may manifest physically over time, reinforcing the need to integrate chronic pain assessment into trauma-informed care and violence prevention strategies. By connecting public safety, health outcomes, and prevention science, this work advances understanding of how community violence shapes long-term well-being.
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