cover image: Firearm Availability and Unintentional Firearm Deaths, Suicide and Homicide Among 5-14 Year Olds

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Firearm Availability and Unintentional Firearm Deaths, Suicide and Homicide Among 5-14 Year Olds

1 Feb 2002

In the United States, only motor vehicle crashes and cancer claim more lives among children than do firearms. This national study attempts to determine whether firearm prevalence is related to rates of unintentional firearm deaths, suicides, and homicides among children. Using data from 1988 -1997, this study estimates the association between the rate of violent deaths among 5-14 year olds and four proxies of firearm availability across states and regions. It finds that a statistically significant association exists between gun availability and the rates of unintentional firearm deaths, homicides, and suicides. The elevated rates of suicide and homicide among children living in states with more guns is not entirely explained by a state's poverty, education, or urbanization and is driven by lethal firearm violence, not by lethal non-firearm violence. It concludes that a disproportionately high number of 5-14 year olds died from suicide, homicide, and unintentional firearm deaths in states and regions where guns were more prevalent.
health children and youth population and demographics mental health minors social conditions suicides safety and security gun violence youth homicides

Authors

Deborah Azrael, MS, Matthew Miller, MD, MPH, ScD, David Hemenway, PhD

Date uploaded to Policy Archive
2011-06-23
Pages
9
Policy Archive ID
96411

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