Citation

DeLeon PH, Paxton MM, Spencer T, Bajjani-Gebara JE. Adm. Policy Ment. Health 2018; 45(4): 689-691.

Affiliation

Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10488-018-0885-7

PMID

29789981

Abstract

Current Veterans administration policy directly links a Veteran's adjudged capacity to manage personal financial resources with their ability to purchase or possess a firearm, pursuant to the regulatory authority of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Preventing Veterans' suicide is a highly laudable public health objective. Effectively utilizing scientific research to "inform" public policy is equally important. The authors should be congratulated for their efforts. However, it is important in utilizing large set population-based data, especially social science data, to evaluate policy alternatives that there be substantial face (i.e., clinical) validity. Correlation does not necessarily represent causation.

Language: en

Keywords

Fiduciaries; Firearms restrictions; Research driven policy; Veterans