TY - JOUR PY - 2022// TI - Youth gun carrying and household firearm ownership in 22 US states JO - Journal of community psychology A1 - Chavez, Leo A1 - Kivisto, Aaron J. A1 - Gray, Samantha L. A1 - Thomas, Kendra J. SP - ePub EP - ePub VL - ePub IS - ePub N2 - Youth gun carrying is associated with a range of adverse outcomes, including increased risks for homicide, suicide, school disciplinary problems, and criminal legal involvement. In this study we examined the association between state-level household firearm ownership rates and the odds of past-year gun carrying among high-school-aged youth. Using survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression models, results showed that each 1% point increase in state-level gun ownership was associated with a 2.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.1%, 4.2%], p = 0.001) increased odds of youth gun carrying, controlling for histories of school-based victimization, physical fighting, and substance use. Among a subset of weapon-carrying youth, state-level firearm availability was a significant factor in determining whether the weapon carried was a gun or a less lethal (i.e., nonfirearm) weapon (odds ratio = 1.021, 95% CI = [1.005, 1.038], p = 0.01). These findings show that firearm availability confers additional risk for youth gun carrying beyond the psychosocial risks emphasized in prior research and efforts to restrict youth access to firearms might be particularly important, especially in communities with high levels of household gun ownership.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0090-4392 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22861 ID - ref1 ER -