title: The availability of firearms and the use of firearms for suicide: a study of 20 countries.
abstract: The availability of firearms in a country was measured by noting the percentage of homicides committed using a firearm. This measure of gun availability was found to be positively associated with the suicide rate using firearms and negatively associated with the suicide rate using all other methods. The implications of these findings for suicide prevention are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Richard Stockton State College, Pomona, NJ 08240-9988.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lester
mesh_terms: D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005389:Firearms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*