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Gun Ownership for Safety/Protection and Unsecured Firearm Storage Practices: Suicide Risk and Prevention Among U.S.
Catherine L Dempsey1, David M Benedek1, Patricia T Spangler1
1Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc, Bethesda, Maryland.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|October 26, 2024
Summary
Firearm ownership for safety and anxiety predict unsecured storage among soldiers, increasing suicide risk. Understanding these factors is crucial for developing targeted suicide prevention strategies in the military community.
Area of Science:
- Military Suicide Prevention
- Firearm Safety Research
- Mental Health in Service Members
Background:
- 2021 saw record firearm suicide deaths in the U.S., with veterans comprising 62.4%.
- Understanding firearm ownership motivations and storage practices is critical for suicide prevention among service members.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate motivations for firearm ownership.
- To examine firearm storage practices.
- To assess mental health history and suicide risk in U.S. Army personnel.
Main Methods:
- A case-control psychological autopsy study compared 135 Army suicide decedents with 255 living controls.
- Structured interviews with next-of-kin and supervisors gathered data on firearm ownership and storage.
- Military medical records provided lifetime mental health history.
Main Results:
- Safety/protection was the primary reported reason for firearm ownership among decedents, linked to unsecured storage (OR=3.8).
- Ownership for safety/protection and a history of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) predicted unsecured firearm storage (OR=3.65).
Conclusions:
- Firearm ownership for safety and clinically significant anxiety are predictors of unsecured storage practices.
- Further research into these motivations can inform suicide prevention interventions for service members.
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