Firearm Availability and Storage Practices Among Military Personnel Who Have Thought About Suicide

Abstract

Over 60% of U.S. military suicides occur at home and involve a firearm. Nearly all (95%) of military firearm suicides involve a personally-owned firearm. Non-military data indicate the risk of suicide is six times higher in households with a firearm relative to households without a firearm, although this risk is reduced if the firearms are kept unloaded and/or locked. Because firearms have very high case fatality rates, safe firearm storage practices could be an important component of comprehensive suicide prevention in the military, but little is known about firearm ownership and storage practices in this population. We examined firearm storage practices among 1652 active duty military personnel enrolled in the PRImary Care Screening Methods (PRISM) study, conducted in six military primary care clinics across the U.S. Military personnel were invited to complete a survey during routine primary care clinic visits. Participants were required to be eligible for military medical services, 18 years of age or older, and able to complete informed consent procedures. Although the majority of suicides among military personnel involve firearms, little is known about firearm possession and storage practices in this population. In this sample, one-third of active military personnel reported a firearm in or around the home. Access to firearms was higher for white men, a demographic profile previously associated with elevated suicide rates. Military personnel with a lifetime history of suicide ideation and recent thoughts of death were less likely to use multiple storage methods. Those with lifetime ideation were also more likely to keep firearms loaded and unlocked.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 16, 2019
Accession Number
AD1087690

Entities

People

  • Alexis M. May
  • AnnaBelle O. Bryan
  • Craig J. Bryan
  • Cynthia J Thomsen
  • Julia A. Harris
  • Lauren R Khazem
  • Michael D. Anestis

Organizations

  • Naval Health Research Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Active Duty
  • Air Force
  • Availability
  • Biomedical Research
  • Contracts
  • Data Analysis
  • Department Of Defense
  • Families (Human)
  • Governments
  • Health
  • Health Services
  • Military Medicine
  • Military Personnel
  • National Governments
  • Therapy
  • United States
  • United States Government

Readers

  • Gender and Food Studies
  • Government and Public Administration Law.
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.