Gun control and suicide: The impact of state firearm regulations in the United States, 1995–2004

Andrés, Antonio R.; Hempstead, Katherine

doi:10.1016/j.healthpol.2010.10.005

Cited by 120 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…All together, these data overall suggest that a decline in firearm ownership is associated with reduced rates of firearm suicides. However, it has been recently reported that regulations that seek to prohibit high risk individuals from owning firearms were proven to have poor effects in the USA, though they have a significant deterrent effect on overall male suicide [34]. A further recent study reported that, though the rate of suicide by firearms, as well as other methods declined markedly, the hanging/suffocation rate increased significantly from 1992 to 2006 among young in the US [35], suggesting that restriction of some means may increase the rate of means that cannot be easily restricted.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A number of laws are designed to prevent firearm ownership by individuals considered disproportionately likely to commit gun crimes. In some states, the requirement a “cooling off” period of some specified period before the purchase is aimed to reduce the consequences of impulsive firearm purchases [34]. Therefore, their impact on suicide prevention may differ depending on the regulation adopted in a specific state.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the last decades, several epidemiological studies reported changes in rates and methods of suicide and the overall observed decline in rates of suicide in most parts of the worlds coincides with a reduction in the availability of lethal methods [34,63,64]. Therefore, strategies aimed to limit the access to means used in suicide is effective and should be an important part of a suicide prevention strategy [10].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Controlling Access to Suicide Means

Sarchiapone

Mandelli

Iosue

et al. 2011

IJERPH

188

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Background: Restricting access to common means of suicide, such as firearms, toxic gas, pesticides and other, has been shown to be effective in reducing rates of death in suicide. In the present review we aimed to summarize the empirical and clinical literature on controlling the access to means of suicide. Methods: This review made use of both MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science and the Cochrane library databases, identifying all English articles with the keywords “suicide means”, “suicide method”, “suicide prediction” or “suicide prevention” and other relevant keywords. Results: A number of factors may influence an individual’s decision regarding method in a suicide act, but there is substantial support that easy access influences the choice of method. In many countries, restrictions of access to common means of suicide has lead to lower overall suicide rates, particularly regarding suicide by firearms in USA, detoxification of domestic and motor vehicle gas in England and other countries, toxic pesticides in rural areas, barriers at jumping sites and hanging, by introducing “safe rooms” in prisons and hospitals. Moreover, decline in prescription of barbiturates and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), as well as limitation of drugs pack size for paracetamol and salicylate has reduced suicides by overdose, while increased prescription of SSRIs seems to have lowered suicidal rates. Conclusions: Restriction to means of suicide may be particularly effective in contexts where the method is popular, highly lethal, widely available, and/or not easily substituted by other similar methods. However, since there is some risk of means substitution, restriction of access should be implemented in conjunction with other suicide prevention strategies.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Controlling Access to Suicide Means

Sarchiapone

Mandelli

Iosue

et al. 2011

IJERPH

188

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…In 1994, a federal law established 18 as the minimum legal age for the possession or purchase of handguns, including sales by gun owners who are not licensed dealers. American states vary in their requirements for gun ownership prohibition laws, such as banning of minors and people with history of felony, domestic violence offence, and mental or substance use problems [24]. Furthermore, gun safe storage laws, often referred to as child access prevention (CAP) laws, were enacted to prevent young people from gaining access to firearms.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between changes in the pattern of suicide methods and rates in Korea, the US, and Finland

Park

Ahn

Lee

et al. 2014

Int J Ment Health Syst

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BackgroundThe lethality of the suicide method employed is a strong risk factor for the completion of suicide. We examined whether annual changes in the pattern of suicide methods is related to annual changes in suicide rates in South Korea, the United States (US), and Finland.MethodsWe analyzed annual data from 2000–2011 for South Korea and Finland, and 2000–2010 for the US in order to examine trends in the rates and methods of suicide. Data on suicide methods were obtained from the World Health Organization (WHO) mortality database.ResultsAlong with an annual rapid increase in suicide rates, the incidence of hanging increased steadily while suicide by self-poisoning steadily decreased in South Korea. In the US, along with an annual increase in suicide rates, the proportion of suicides committed by hanging increased while those committed with the use of firearms steadily decreased. In Finland, annual changes in the suicide rate and suicide method were not statistically significant during the study period.ConclusionsOur present findings suggest that the increased use of specific lethal methods for suicide, namely hanging, is reflected in the increased suicide rates in the Korean and the US populations. The most effective approach for reducing overall suicide rates may be the implementation of population-based initiatives that reduce both the accessibility (e.g., access to firearms) and the social acceptability (e.g., effective and responsible regulations for reporting suicide) of lethal methods of suicide.

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“…tighter regulation and access to firearms, illegal and legal drugs, agricultural pesticides and domestic gas) has been associated with lower suicide within some populations (Beautrais, Fergusson, & Horwood, 2005;Daigle, 2005;Hawton, 2007;Nordentoft, Qin, Helweg-Larsen, & Juel, 2006Rodríguez Andrés & Hempstead, 2011;Skegg & Herbison, 2009;Wong, Chan, Lau, Morgan, & Yip, 2009). However, research also suggests the importance of considering the risk of method substitution (whereby suicidal persons prevented from using one method will shift consideration to an alternate method) and the other possible influences such as the degree of familiarity with the method, gender, age and geographical location (De Leo, Dwyer, Firman, & Neulinger, 2003;De Leo, Evans, & Neulinger, 2002;Klieve, Barnes et al, 2009;Klieve, Sveticic et al, 2009;Roberts et al, 2003).…”

Section: Access To Suicide Methods (N = 21)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Social-Environmental Factors and Suicide Mortality: A Narrative Review of over 200 Articles

Milner¹,

Hjelmeland²,

Arensman³

et al. 2013

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Suicide mortality in a population has long been thought to be sensitive to social, economic and cultural contexts. This review examined research on the relationship between social-environmental variables and suicide mortality published over a ten-year period. The main areas covered in the review included: the economy and income, unemployment, relationship status, fertility and birth rates, female participation in the workforce, religion, migration, location of residence, modernisation, media reporting, alcohol, and access to suicide methods. Results of the review indicated that rates of suicide mortality (deaths per 100,000 in a population) were sensitive to a wide range of social factors. There were relatively stable associations noted between divorce and unemployment with suicide mortality, while many of the reported associations between suicide mortality and other social variables (such as religion, fertility and female participation in the workforce) were influenced by contextual factors and time. These findings indicate the importance of considering the relationship between social factors and suicide as dynamic phenomena.

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Gun control and suicide: The impact of state firearm regulations in the United States, 1995–2004

Cited by 120 publications

References 33 publications

Controlling Access to Suicide Means

Controlling Access to Suicide Means

Associations between changes in the pattern of suicide methods and rates in Korea, the US, and Finland

Social-Environmental Factors and Suicide Mortality: A Narrative Review of over 200 Articles

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