# Public health and criminal justice funding for firearm injury prevention research in the United States

## TL;DR

This study compares US federal funding and research output for preventing firearm injuries, showing health agencies fund most studies while criminal justice agencies focus on mass shootings.

## Contribution

The study provides a novel analysis of federal funding sources and their alignment with research topics in firearm injury prevention.

## Key findings

- Health agencies funded 86% of studies and had higher funding-to-publication ratios than criminal justice agencies.
- NIJ and NSF were more likely to fund research on mass shootings compared to health agencies.
- Most studies across all agencies focused on community violence.

## Abstract

To compare the differences in US federal funding sources for firearm injury prevention and publications.

We extracted publications from three literature databases and grant data for five federal agencies (CDC, NIH, SAMHSA, NSF, NIJ) through federal archives from 2020 to 2022, excluding case studies, editorials, and literature reviews. Specific funding sources for publications were further extracted. We calculated funding-to-publication (F-P) ratios for federal public health, science, and criminal justice agencies and tested associations. Health agencies with grant data included the CDC, NIH, and SAMHSA and were categorized as public health agencies. The NSF was classified as science and engineering. The NIJ was classified as criminal justice.

The three largest funders were the NIH, CDC, and NIJ, and were associated with the most publications, with health agencies funding most studies (86%). Health agencies had higher F-P ratios than the NSF and NIJ. Public health funders were more likely to fund experimental studies, studies related to suicide, and unintentional firearm injury prevention. NIJ and NSF were more likely to support research on mass shootings. Most studies funded by all agencies examined community violence.

The NIH and CDC supported most firearm-injury-related grant funding and subsequent publications from 2020 to 2022. Differences in funding existed depending on the types of firearm injury. Federal funding is imperative to advance the science of firearm injury prevention, and future funding across federal agencies should be aligned with national public health and safety needs.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40621-025-00644-3.