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Suicide Prevention Effects of Extreme Risk Protection Order Laws in Four States.
Jeffrey W Swanson1, April M Zeoli2, Shannon Frattaroli2
1Dr. Swanson is a Professor and Dr. Easter is an Assistant Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, and both are faculty affiliates of the Wilson Center for Science and Justice, Duke University School of Law, Durham, NC. Dr. Zeoli is an Associate Professor in the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention and the Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI. Dr. Frattaroli is a Professor, Health Policy and Management, and Core Faculty, Center for Gun Violence Solutions at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Kapoor is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Dr. Norko is a Professor of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. Dr. Kapoor is Director of Forensic Services and Dr. Norko is a Forensic Policy Advisor, Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Hartford, CT. Dr. Betz is a Professor and Director of the Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative, Department of Emergency Medicine and Dr. Knoepke is an Assistant Professor of Cardiology and Law Enforcement Lead, Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, Dr. Pear is Assistant Professor in Residence, Violence Prevention Research Program, Department of Emergency Medicine and Dr. Wintemute is a Professor and the Susan P. Baker-Stephen P. Teret Chair in Violence Prevention, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA. Dr. Rowhani- Rahbar is the Bartley Dobb Professor for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Professor of Epidemiology and Pediatrics, and Director of the Firearm Injury & Policy Research Program and Ms. Schleimer is a PhD Candidate, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, and a Research Data Analyst at the Violence Prevention Research Program, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, Davis. jeffrey.swanson@duke.edu.
Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) can save lives by temporarily restricting firearm access for individuals at high risk. Studies show 13-23 ERPOs may be needed to prevent one suicide, highlighting their effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Criminology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Firearm-related injuries constitute over half of US suicide deaths.
- Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) temporarily restrict firearm access for individuals deemed an imminent risk.
- Limited large-scale research exists on ERPO effectiveness in suicide prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of ERPOs in preventing suicides.
- To estimate the number of lives saved and ERPOs needed to avert one suicide.
Main Methods:
- Assembled records for 4,583 ERPO respondents in California, Connecticut, Maryland, and Washington.
- Matched ERPO records with suicide decedents and identified self-injury methods.
- Applied case fatality rates to estimate suicide attempts and calculated lives saved and ERPOs needed.
Main Results:
- Estimates suggest 17-23 ERPOs are needed to prevent one suicide.
- For respondents with documented suicide concerns, 13-18 ERPOs were estimated to be needed.
- Findings indicate ERPOs are a significant suicide prevention tool.
Conclusions:
- ERPOs demonstrate effectiveness in suicide prevention.
- The study provides crucial data on the impact of ERPOs on reducing suicide deaths.
- ERPOs represent an important tool in public health strategies for suicide prevention.
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