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Citation
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Fischer IC, Aunon FM, Nichter B, Hill ML, Panza KE, Kline AC, Na PJ, Tsai J, Harpaz-Rotem I, Pietrzak RH. Am. J. Prev. Med. 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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INTRODUCTION: The goals of this study were to identify the prevalence and correlates of firearm ownership in a large, contemporary, nationally representative sample of U.S. military veterans.
METHODS: Data were analyzed from the 2022 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (N=2,326; M(age)=60.2). Weighted independent-samples t-tests and chi-square analyses were conducted to compare veterans who did and did not report firearm ownership on sociodemographic, military, and psychiatric variables. A multivariable logistic regression analysis using backward elimination was conducted to identify characteristics independently associated with firearm ownership, and a relative importance analysis was conducted to quantify the relative variance in firearm ownership that was explained by each of the statistically significant main effects.
RESULTS: Of the total 2,326 veterans, 1,217 (weighted 50.9%, 95%CI=48.0-53.9%) reported owning any firearms. Male sex, conservative political ideology, rural living, home ownership, cumulative trauma burden, and lifetime history of alcohol use disorder were most strongly associated with firearm ownership.
CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an updated characterization of the prevalence and correlates of firearm ownership among U.S. veterans.
RESULTS of this nationally representative study suggest firearm ownership in this group may be higher than previously reported, and underscore the importance of targeted suicide prevention efforts promoting firearm safety among vulnerable segments of this population.
Language: en |