Association between state minimum wage and firearm suicides in the USA, 2000-2020

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Economics
• Criminology

Background:

• Firearm suicides represent a significant public health crisis.
• Economic policies, such as minimum wage increases, may mitigate firearm suicide risk.
• Community-level poverty reduction is a potential strategy for decreasing firearm suicide rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between state minimum wage policies and firearm suicide rates.
• To determine if economic security measures can impact firearm suicide incidence.

Main Methods:

• Utilized state minimum wage data (modified Kaitz Index) and National Vital Statistics System suicide data (2000-2020).
• Employed log-linear regressions to model the relationship between minimum wage and firearm suicides, stratified by demographics.
• Analyses were conducted in 2023, accounting for firearm ownership levels.

Main Results:

• A 1% increase in the modified Kaitz Index correlated with a 0.3% decrease in firearm suicides.
• A US$1.00 increase in minimum wage above the federal level was associated with a 1.4% reduction in firearm suicides.
• The association was most consistent in states with lower firearm ownership quartiles.

Conclusions:

• State minimum wage increases may serve as a valuable policy tool for reducing firearm suicides.
• Economic policy interventions can be leveraged to address and reduce firearm suicide rates.
• Findings support integrating economic security measures into comprehensive suicide prevention strategies.