Of more than 500 adult patients who had regular checkups during a one-month period, about 56% bypassed a question about firearms on a questionnaire used in many clinic waiting rooms and online portals of Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigan’s academic medical center, where the study was done.

Nearly all answered the rest of the questions about other health and social topics.

A survey of 109 doctors and other providers at those clinics found 36% were uncomfortable discussing firearm-related risks with patients.