Sharon M Coleman1, Marlene C Lira2, Jason Blanchette3, Timothy C Heeren4, Timothy S Naimi5,6. 1. Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC), Boston University School of Public Health, 85 East Newton Street M921, Boston, MA, USA. 2. Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department ofaaaaaa Medicine, Boston Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Ave., Second Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, USA. 3. Department of Health Law, Policy & Management, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Talbot Building T2W, Boston, MA, USA. 4. Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Ave., Third Floor, Boston, MA, USA. 5. Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department ofaaaaaa Medicine, Boston Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Ave., Second Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, USA. tim.naimi@bmc.org. 6. Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Ave., Fourth Floor, Boston, MA, USA. tim.naimi@bmc.org.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Alcohol and firearms are commonly involved in suicide in the United States. State alcohol and firearm policies may impact alcohol and firearm related suicide, yet little is known about these relationships. This study examines relationships between state alcohol and firearm policies and suicides involving alcohol, guns, or both, and explores interactive policy associations. METHODS: Alcohol policies were assessed with the Alcohol Policy Scale. Firearm policies were assessed using the Gun Law Scorecard from Giffords Law Center. Suicide data from the National Violent Death Reporting System in 2015 covered 22 states. State- and individual-level GEE Poisson and logistic regression models assessed relationships between policies and firearm- and/or alcohol-involved suicides with a 1-year lag. RESULTS: In 2015, there were 8996 suicide deaths with blood alcohol concentration test results in the 22 included states. Of those deaths, alcohol and/or firearms were involved in 5749 or 63.9%. Higher alcohol and gun law scores were associated with reduced incidence rates and odds of suicides involving either alcohol or firearms (adjusted incidence rate ratios [IRR] 0.72 (95% CI 0.63, 0.83) for alcohol policies, 0.86 (95% CI 0.82, 0.90) for firearm policies). Relationships were similar for suicides involving both alcohol and firearms, and there was an interactive effect, such that states with restrictive policies for both had the lowest rates of suicides involving alcohol or guns. CONCLUSIONS: More restrictive alcohol and firearm policies are associated with lower rates and odds of suicides involving alcohol or firearms, and alcohol and firearms, and may be a promising means by which to reduce suicide.
BACKGROUND: Alcohol and firearms are commonly involved in suicide in the United States. State alcohol and firearm policies may impact alcohol and firearm related suicide, yet little is known about these relationships. This study examines relationships between state alcohol and firearm policies and suicides involving alcohol, guns, or both, and explores interactive policy associations. METHODS: Alcohol policies were assessed with the Alcohol Policy Scale. Firearm policies were assessed using the Gun Law Scorecard from Giffords Law Center. Suicide data from the National Violent Death Reporting System in 2015 covered 22 states. State- and individual-level GEE Poisson and logistic regression models assessed relationships between policies and firearm- and/or alcohol-involved suicides with a 1-year lag. RESULTS: In 2015, there were 8996 suicide deaths with blood alcohol concentration test results in the 22 included states. Of those deaths, alcohol and/or firearms were involved in 5749 or 63.9%. Higher alcohol and gun law scores were associated with reduced incidence rates and odds of suicides involving either alcohol or firearms (adjusted incidence rate ratios [IRR] 0.72 (95% CI 0.63, 0.83) for alcohol policies, 0.86 (95% CI 0.82, 0.90) for firearm policies). Relationships were similar for suicides involving both alcohol and firearms, and there was an interactive effect, such that states with restrictive policies for both had the lowest rates of suicides involving alcohol or guns. CONCLUSIONS: More restrictive alcohol and firearm policies are associated with lower rates and odds of suicides involving alcohol or firearms, and alcohol and firearms, and may be a promising means by which to reduce suicide.
Authors: Eberhard A Deisenhammer; Chy-Meng Ing; Robert Strauss; Georg Kemmler; Hartmann Hinterhuber; Elisabeth M Weiss Journal: J Clin Psychiatry Date: 2008-10-21 Impact factor: 4.384
Authors: Ziming Xuan; Jason G Blanchette; Toben F Nelson; Thien H Nguyen; Scott E Hadland; Nadia L Oussayef; Timothy C Heeren; Timothy S Naimi Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2015-06-01 Impact factor: 7.124
Authors: Mark S Kaplan; Bentson H McFarland; Nathalie Huguet; Kenneth Conner; Raul Caetano; Norman Giesbrecht; Kurt B Nolte Journal: Inj Prev Date: 2012-05-24 Impact factor: 2.399
Authors: Michael Siegel; Ziming Xuan; Craig S Ross; Sandro Galea; Bindu Kalesan; Eric Fleegler; Kristin A Goss Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2017-10-19 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Kenneth R Conner; Nathalie Huguet; Raul Caetano; Norman Giesbrecht; Bentson H McFarland; Kurt B Nolte; Mark S Kaplan Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2013-05-16 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Eric W Fleegler; Lois K Lee; Michael C Monuteaux; David Hemenway; Rebekah Mannix Journal: JAMA Intern Med Date: 2013-05-13 Impact factor: 21.873
Authors: Hillel R Alpert; Megan E Slater; Young-Hee Yoon; Chiung M Chen; Nancy Winstanley; Marissa B Esser Journal: Am J Prev Med Date: 2022-05-15 Impact factor: 6.604