Ecological studies of the link between firearm availability and suicide
| Authors | Unit of analysis/ population and measure of suicide | Measure of firearm availability | Findings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birckmayer and Hemenway, 200122 | Suicide and firearm suicide rates in 9 US census regions (1979–94) | Proportion of households with firearms | Prevalence of household firearm ownership predicted firearm suicide rate. |
| Clarke and Jones, 198915 | US suicide and firearm suicide rates (1959–84) | Proportion of households with handguns | Prevalence of handgun ownership predicted rate of firearm suicides. |
| Hemenway and Miller, 200221 | Suicide and firearm suicide rates in 9 US census regions (1988–97) | Proportion of households with handguns | Household handgun ownership rates predicted firearm suicide and overall suicide rates. |
| Kaplan and Geling, 199813 | Firearm suicide and homicide rates in 9 US census regions (1989–91) | Prevalence of firearm ownership | Prevalence of firearm ownership predicted firearm suicide among white and black men |
| Kellermann and Reay, 19866 | Number of firearm suicides relative to all firearm deaths that occurred at home (King County, Washington: 1978–83). | Whether a firearm was kept in the home | For every self protection homicide involving a firearm kept in the home, there were 37 suicides involving firearms |
| Kellermann et al, 199810 | Number of firearm related attempted and completed suicides relative to all shootings in/around a home in three US cities (Nov 1992–May 1994). | Whether the gun involved was kept in the home | For every legally justifiable shooting, there were 11 attempted or completed suicides |
| Killias, 19932 | Proportion of suicides with a firearm, rate of firearm suicide, and overall suicide rate in 14 countries (1983–86) | Proportion of households with firearms (1989) | Prevalence of household gun ownership predicted proportion of suicides with a gun, rate of firearm suicide, and overall suicide rate |
| Kleck and Patterson, 199324 | Suicide and firearm suicide rates in 170 US cities (1979–81). | Proportion of firearm related homicides (1979–82); other crimes (1979–80), and the dollar value of stolen property attributable to firearms thefts (1979–81) | Gun prevalence predicted total suicide and firearm suicide rates |
| Lester, 198816 | Rates of suicide by firearm and other methods in 9 US census regions (1970) | Proportion of homicides and suicides committed with firearms; accidental death rate from firearms; state handgun control laws, and subscription rates to firearm magazines | States with a higher availability of firearms had higher firearm suicide rates. |
| Lester, 198912 | Suicide and firearm suicide rates in the 48 continental US states (1980) | Per capita circulation of Shooting Times, Guns & Ammo, and American Handgunner | States with a higher per capita circulation of firearm magazines had higher suicide and firearm suicide rates. |
| Lester, 199017 | Suicide rates by firearm and other methods in 20 countries—1980 | Proportion of homicides committed by firearms | Proportion of homicides committed by firearms predicted firearm suicide rate. |
| Lester, 200025 | Firearm suicide rates in 36 nations (1993) | Accidental firearm mortality rate; proportion of homicides involving firearms | Accidental firearm mortality rate was independent of firearm suicide rate; proportion of homicides involving firearms predicted firearm suicide rate. |
| Lester, 200127 | Percentage of suicides using firearms among total Canadian population (1970–95) | Rate of accidental death from firearms | Rate of accidental death from firearms predicted percentage of suicides using firearms for all age groups except 55+. |
| Bridges, 200228 | Replicated Lester, 2001, using 3 additional years of data (1996–98) | Rate of accidental death from firearms | Rate of accidental death from firearms predicted percentage of suicides using firearms for all age groups except 55+. |
| Miller et al, 200218 | Suicide and firearm suicide rates for all US women (1988–97) | Household gun ownership rates; Cook’s Index, and fraction of all suicides that involved a gun | States with relatively lower availability of firearms had relatively lower rates of suicides, and firearm suicides. |
| Miller et al, 200223 | Suicide and firearm suicide rates for all US 5–14 year olds (1988–97) | Household gun ownership rates; Cook’s Index; and fraction of all suicides that involved a gun | States with relatively lower availability of firearms had relatively lower rates of suicides, and firearm suicides. |
| Miller et al, 200220 | Suicide and firearm suicide rates for all US states, 9 census regions (1988–97) | Proportion of households with firearms (NORC); fraction of all suicides that involved a gun | States with relatively lower availability of firearms had relatively lower rates of suicides, and firearm suicides. |