Age Trends And State Disparities In Firearm-Related Suicide In The US, 1999–2020

Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System, we analyzed trends in firearm suicide across the life course, comparing agerelated trends over time (2015-20 versus 1999-2014) and stratified by differences in state firearm...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health affairs (Millwood, Va.) Va.), 2023-11, Vol.42 (11), p.1551-15A
Main Authors: Glasser, Nathaniel J, Baker, Nabil Abou, Pollack, Harold A, Hussaini, Sohail S, Tung, Elizabeth L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age
Age differences
Age groups
Averages
Disease control
Firearm laws & regulations
Firearms
Health care
Health services
Injury analysis
Injury prevention
Internet
Life course
Medical screening
Middle age
Motivational interviewing
Owners
Ownership
Small arms
State policy
Statistics
Storage
Suicide
Suicides & suicide attempts
Trends
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Summary:Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System, we analyzed trends in firearm suicide across the life course, comparing agerelated trends over time (2015-20 versus 1999-2014) and stratified by differences in state firearm policy environments. Overall, we found stable trends in firearm suicide rates across the life course, although with higher overall rates across all age groups in 2015-20 versus in 1999-2014. Ages 14-16 was the only age group with an accelerating life-course trend in firearm suicide rates in 2015-20 versus in 1999-2014. The state policy environment was associated with significant differences in firearm suicide, with an average of 4.62 more deaths per 100,000 people per year in states with less- versus more-strict environments. This was in contrast to nonfirearm suicides, for which we observed no consistent differences between states. The largest overall differences in firearm suicide between states occurred in adulthood through middle age. These findings can inform further research on health care-based approaches to reducing firearm suicide, such as health care screening for firearm ownership, screening for suicide risk among firearm owners, and motivational interviewing to promote safe firearm storage.
ISSN:0278-2715
1544-5208
DOI:10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00399