Citation

Zwerling C, Lynch CF, Schootman M. Am. J. Prev. Med. 1993; 9(3 Suppl): 21-25.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/s0749-3797(18)30674-3

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Firearm fatalities are not just a problem in our inner cities. We review the 2,554 firearm deaths in Iowa from 1980 to 1990 (a mean annual crude firearm death rate of 8.1 per 100,000). As elsewhere, the crude firearm death rate for men (14.6 per 100,000) was much greater than the rate for women (2.0 per 100,000). In Iowa, suicides accounted for 77.8% of these deaths, compared with 53.4% nationwide. Conversely, in Iowa, homicides accounted for only 14.8% of the firearm deaths, compared with 40.2% nationwide. Unintentional firearm injuries accounted for 4.9% of the fatalities, compared with 4.4% nationwide. For the years 1980 to 1984, the type of firearm used in suicides was recorded on 92.5% of death certificates. Although handguns are much less prevalent in Iowa than elsewhere, they were overrepresented in both homicides and suicides. Firearm fatalities represented only 0.9% of the deaths in Iowa but accounted for 5.1% of the years of potential life lost. These data and those of others argue for regulation of gun ownership.

Language: en

Keywords

United States; adolescent; adult; human; homicide; suicide; child; female; infant; male; aged; mortality; firearm; article; major clinical study; gunshot injury; accidental death