@article{ref1,
title="Examining the relationship between the prevalence of guns and homicide rates in the USA using a new and improved state-level gun ownership proxy",
journal="Injury prevention",
year="2014",
author="Siegel, Michael and Ross, Craig S. and King, Charles",
volume="20",
number="6",
pages="424-426",
abstract="Determining the relationship between gun ownership levels and firearm homicide rates is critical to inform public health policy. Previous research has shown that state-level gun ownership, as measured by a widely used proxy, is positively associated with firearm homicide rates. A newly developed proxy measure that incorporates the hunting license rate in addition to the proportion of firearm suicides correlates more highly with state-level gun ownership. To corroborate previous research, we used this new proxy to estimate the association of state-level gun ownership with total, firearm, and non-firearm homicides. Using state-specific data for the years 1981-2010, we modelled these rates as a function of gun ownership level, controlling for potential confounding factors. We used a negative binomial regression model and accounted for clustering of observations among states. We found that state-level gun ownership as measured by the new proxy, is significantly associated with firearm and total homicides but not with non-firearm homicides.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1353-8047",
doi="10.1136/injuryprev-2014-041187",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2014-041187"
}