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Abstract:
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More than a dozen previous studies have sought to understand the health risks firearm access poses to individuals and households. Virtually all have found that access or ownership is associated with elevated risk of mortality, especially suicide. However, due to limitations of design and power, these studies have not probed whether and to what extent the association varies across different groups of gun owners. The aim of this study was to estimate suicide risk—overall, and by method (i.e., firearm vs non-firearm)—among a large sample of California handgun owners by sex, age group, race, and urbanicity. We provide estimates of suicide rates among selected groups of handgun owners relative to suicide rates among comparable groups of non-owners. The findings will 1) advance understanding of the size and nature of the hazards that flow from the decision to purchase and keep a firearm; 2) allow a more accurate accounting of costs and benefits to guide laws and policies aimed at addressing firearm safety for policymakers; and 3) help prioritize and target prevention activities at groups of gun owners at highest risk.
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