Do Gun-Purchase Waiting Periods Save Lives?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Criminology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Firearm access is a critical factor in suicide.
• Gun-purchase waiting periods are a policy intervention aimed at reducing impulsive suicides.
• The geographical diffusion of policy effects is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between gun-purchase waiting periods and suicide rates.
• To investigate how proximity to states without waiting periods influences the effectiveness of these policies.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of county-level mortality data from 1991-2019.
• Statistical modeling to assess the impact of waiting periods on firearm and overall suicide rates.
• Examination of the moderating role of proximity to states with differing waiting period legislation.

Main Results:

• Waiting periods were associated with a 5% reduction in firearm suicide rates and a 2% reduction in overall suicide rates.
• Counties within 50 miles of a state without a waiting period showed no statistically significant reduction in suicides.
• Suicide reductions were primarily observed in counties located more than 50 miles from a neighboring state without a waiting period.

Conclusions:

• Gun-purchase waiting periods can be an effective suicide prevention strategy.
• The effectiveness of waiting periods is geographically constrained, particularly by proximity to unrestricted neighboring states.
• Policy implications suggest a need for coordinated, multi-state approaches to maximize the public health impact of waiting periods.