Citation

Schnitzer PG, Dykstra HK, Trigylidas TE, Lichenstein R. J. Behav. Med. 2019; 42(4): 584-590.

Affiliation

Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10865-019-00037-0

PMID

31367924

Abstract

Suicide is a leading cause of death among children in the United States; firearms cause 37% of these deaths. Research is needed to better understand firearm accessibility among youth at risk for suicide. We reviewed data from the National Fatality Review Case Reporting System (NFR-CRS). Firearm suicide deaths of children ages 10-18 occurring 2004 through 2015 with completed suicide-specific section were included. Children who had talked about, threatened or attempted suicide were identified as "Greater Risk" (GR). Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated. Of the 2106 firearm suicide deaths, 1388 (66%) had a completed NFR-CRS suicide section. Of these, 36% (494/1388) met the criteria for GR. Firearms were less likely to be stored in a locked location for GR children [adjusted OR 0.62, (95%CI 0.49-0.98)]. Strategies to limit firearm access, particularly for GR youth, should be a focus of suicide prevention efforts.

Language: en

Keywords

Child death review; Firearms; Gun violence; Pediatrics; Prevention; Suicide