Gun violence in Australia, 2002-2016: a cohort study

To describe the burden, geographic distribution, and outcomes of firearm-related violence in New South Wales during 2002-2016.

Population-based record linkag study of people injured by firearms in NSW, 1 January 2002 - 31 December 2016.

Frequency, proportion, and rate of firearm-related injuries and deaths by intent category (assault, intentional self-harm, accidental, undetermined/other) and socio-demographic characteristics; medical service use (hospitalisations, ambulatory mental health care) before and after firearm-related injuries; associations between rates of firearm-related injury and those of licensed gun owners, by statistical area level 4.

Firearm-related injuries were recorded for 2390 people; for 849 people, the injuries were caused by assault (36%), for 797 by intentional self-harm (33%), and for 506 by accidents (21%). Overall rates of firearm injuries were 4.1 per 100 000 males and 0.3 per 100 000 females; the overall rate was higher in outer regional/rural/remote areas (3.8 per 100 000) than in major cities (1.6 per 100 000) or inner regional areas (1.8 per 100 000). During 2002-2016, the overall firearm-related injury rate declined from 3.4 to 1.8 per 100 000 population, primarily because of declines in injuries caused by assault or accidental events. The rate of self-harm injuries with firearms were highest for people aged 60 years or more (41.5 per 100 000 population). Local rates of intentional self-harm injuries caused by firearms were strongly correlated with those of licensed gun owners (r = 0.94).

Rates of self-harm with firearms are higher for older people, men, and residents in outer regional and rural/remote areas, while those for assault-related injuries are higher for younger people, men, and residents of major cities. Strategies for reducing injuries caused by self-harm and assault with firearms should focus on people at particular risk.