Access to firearms and risk for suicide in middle-aged and older adults

Author: Conwell, Yeates / Duberstein, Paul R. / Connor, Kenneth / Eberly, Shirley / Cox, Christopher / Caine, Eric D.
Publication: American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
Topics: Gender Gun Carrying Local Suicide
Keywords: Psychological Autopsy Weapons handguns risk for suicide suicide prevention
Bibliographic information +

The authors evaluated the association between suicide risk and access to and storage of firearms in this psychological autopsy study of 86 suicide victims older than 50 and 86 community control subjects in New York between 1996 and 2001, using Medical Examiner records. The authors found that presence of a firearm in the home was associated with increased risk for suicide, was due to access to handguns rather than long guns, and was greater in men than women. Storing a firearm loaded and unlocked were also predictors of suicide.