Citation

Betz ME, Barber C, Miller MC. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 2011; 41(4): 384-391.

Affiliation

Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado Denver; Harvard Injury Control Research Center, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1943-278X.2011.00036.x

PMID

21535097

Abstract

The association between home firearms and the likelihood and nature of suicidal thoughts and plans was examined using the Second Injury Control and Risk Survey, a 2001-2003 representative telephone survey of U.S. households. Of 9,483 respondents, 7.4% reported past-year suicidal thoughts, 21.3% with a plan. Similar proportions of those with and without a home firearm reported suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts. Among respondents with suicidal plans, the odds of reporting a plan involving a firearm were over seven times greater among those with firearms at home, compared with those without firearms at home. The results suggest people with home firearms may not be more likely to be suicidal, but when suicidal they may be more likely to plan suicide by firearm.

Language: en