A comparative analysis of data sources for studying school shootings: implications for surveillance and prevention

Firearms are the leading cause of death for individuals under 19 in the United States, yetresearch on school-based gun violence incidents remains limited due to the rarity of suchevents and inconsistent data collection methods. This lack of comprehensive data hindersefforts to understand the factors contributing to these tragic occurrences and develop effectiveprevention strategies. Existing studies demonstrate that students are more likely to avoidschool due to safety concerns, and mass shootings have been linked to severe mental healthconsequences, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Despite the devastating impact ofschool violence, a unified system for compiling information on relevant factors is currentlyabsent. This research aims to address these gaps by conducting a thorough literature review toidentify key factors influencing school-based gun violence outcomes. Data sourcesencompassing these factors were evaluated for timeliness, completeness, and accuracy. Thefindings underscore the need for a standardized definition of school-based gun violence andschool property, as well as the urgent requirement for a more robust surveillance system toimprove data reliability and inform preventive interventions.