The accessibility of firearms and risk for suicide and homicide victimization among household members: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
PubMed 24592495 · doi:10.7326/M13-1301
What was done
Authors systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed data from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and gray literature through August 23, 2013. They included studies comparing suicide and homicide outcomes between individuals with and without household firearm access, with no restrictions on age, sex, or country. Two authors independently extracted data, preferentially using published adjusted estimates, and calculated pooled odds ratios using random- and fixed-effects models.
What was found
Pooling data from 16 observational studies revealed that firearm access was associated with increased odds of suicide (pooled OR 3.24, 95% CI 2.41 to 4.40) and homicide victimization (pooled OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.56 to 3.02). When limited to studies using interviews to assess firearm access, the pooled OR for suicide was 3.14 (95% CI 2.29 to 4.43).
Why it matters
This meta-analysis quantifies the substantial link between firearm accessibility in households and elevated risks of violent death by suicide or homicide across diverse populations.
Limits
All included data derive from observational studies rather than randomized trials. Exposure was determined by survey interviews in most studies, introducing risk of misclassification, and findings synthesize heterogeneous populations with varying baseline risks.
Cited by
- supports Owning or having a gun significantly increases the probability that someone gets shot.