State background checks for gun purchase and firearm deaths: an exploratory study.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Criminology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Firearm violence remains a significant public health concern in the United States.
• State-level regulations, including background check policies, vary widely.
• Understanding the impact of specific background check types on firearm deaths is crucial for policy development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the types of background-information checks mandated by states before firearm purchases and rates of firearm homicide and suicide deaths.
• To control for other state-level factors that may influence violent death rates.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of state-level data from 1996 to 2005 using negative binomial models.
• Data on firearm background check types were sourced from the Surveys of State Procedures Related to Firearm Sales.
• Violent death data were obtained from the Waterborne Illness and Sick Building Syndrome Surveillance (WISQARS) system.

Main Results:

• Increased background checks were associated with a reduction in both firearm homicide (IRR: 0.93) and suicide deaths (IRR: 0.98).
• Specific checks for restraining orders and fugitive status were linked to lower firearm homicide rates.
• Background checks for mental illness, fugitive status, and misdemeanors were associated with decreased firearm suicide deaths.

Conclusions:

• More extensive background checks prior to firearm purchase are generally associated with fewer firearm homicide and suicide deaths.
• The study acknowledges limitations and calls for further research to establish causality.
• Findings suggest that specific types of background checks may be effective in reducing firearm-related mortality.