Mental illness, previous suicidality, and access to guns in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the association between mental disorders, prior suicidality, and access to guns and gun safety in the U.S. population.


METHODS
Using data from adult participants (N=5,692) from the National Comorbidity Survey: Replication (NCS-R), this study examined relationships between mental disorders, past suicidality, and gun access and safety practices.


RESULTS
Individuals with lifetime mental disorders (N=3,528) were as likely as those without (N=2,034) to have access to a gun (34.1% versus 36.3%; odds ratio [OR]=.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]=.8-1.1), carry a gun (4.8% versus 5.0%; OR=1.0, CI=.7-1.40), or store a gun in an unsafe manner (6.2% versus 7.3%; OR=.9, CI=.5-1.4). However, individuals with a prior suicide attempt were less likely than those without such an attempt to have access to a gun (23.8% versus 36.0%; OR=.6, CI=.5-.8).


CONCLUSIONS
Given the previously established relationship between mental health risk factors and suicide, this study highlights the need to assess for gun access among high-risk individuals.
Ilgen
Mark A
MA
Department of Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan 48109-5763, USA. marki@umich.edu
Zivin
Kara
K
McCammon
Ryan J
RJ
Valenstein
Marcia
M
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D005389:Firearms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology