Publication Date: June 2009
What does it say?
This study looks at whether the association between firearm ownership and increased risk of suicide can be explained by a higher risk of psychiatric disorders in households with firearms. By controlling for extraneous variables such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, education and poverty it helps to validate previous US studies that have found no convincing evidence that higher rates of emotional and mental disorder can be found in gun-owning households.
In fact, both this study and a previous study have found that the number of suicide attempts is higher among people living in households that do not own guns. The study concludes that higher rates of suicide among people who live in a household with firearms cannot be explained by higher rates of psychiatric disorders in gun owning households. The authors argue that future research should focus on ways to overcome the difficulties of communicating effectively the higher risk of suicide related to household gun ownership.
How can I use it?
This provides a significant challenge to the hypothesis that a third variable such as mental illness, explains the link between higher rates of suicide amongst those who own guns. The study can be used to advocate tighter controls over access to guns in the home as a means of reducing suicide rates.
Citation
Miller, M, et al, “Recent Psychopathology, Suicidal Thoughts and Suicide Attempts in Households With and Without Firearms: Findings from the National Comorbidity Study Replication,” Injury Prevention 15(2009): 183-187
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