Citation

Bailey JE, Kellermann AL, Somes GW, Banton JG. J. Investig. Med. 1996; 44(1): 85A.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, American Federation for Clinical Research, Publisher B C Decker)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study sought to determine the risk factors for violent death of women in the home, and particularly, to assess the strength and direction of any association between domestic violence or firearm ownership and suicide or homicide in the home. Subgroup analysis of a large population - based case control study database was performed, defining cases as all homicides and suicides occurring in the home of female victims in three metropolitan counties: Shelby County, Tennessee; King County, Washington; and Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Randomly selected control subjects were matched to the victims by neighborhood, sex, race, and age range. Exposures to potential risk factors were ascertained by interviewing a proxy for the victim three to six weeks after the violent death occurred. These answers were compared with those obtained from controls using matched - pairs methods. All cases (n=266) were identified in the three county areas, including 143 homicides and 123 suicides, during a five year period. Matching controls (n=266) were also identified. Firearms were involved in 46 percent of the homicides and 42 percent of the suicides. Independent risk factors for suicide in the home included a history of mental illness (OR 258.8; CI 18.2 to 3679.8), living alone (OR 13.4; CI 2.0 to 87.8) and having one or more guns in the home (OR 4.6; CI 1.2 to 17.5). Independent risk factors for homicide included living alone (OR 5.1; CI 2.0 to 13.2), illicit drug use by a member of the household (OR 4.9; CI 1.3 to 15,9), prior domestic violence (OR 4.0; CI 1.5 to 10.5), having one or more guns in the home (OR 3.4; CI 1.6 to 7.1) and previous arrest of any member of the household (OR 3.0; CI 1.3 to 6.6). Almost all of the increased risk of homicide associated with either domestic violence or guns was attributable to the cases in which the homicide occurred at the hands of a spouse, intimate acquaintance or close relative. Prior domestic violence greatly increases women's risk of homicide in the home. Instead of conferring protection of women, keeping a gun in the home is associated with increased risk of violent death. Readily available firearms and prior domestic violence place women at particularly high risk of homicide at the hands of their spouse, intimate acquaintance or close relative.

Language: en