- Haasz M, et al. https://bit.ly/4eLNBJL.
The vast majority of parents and caregivers underestimated the risk of firearm-related suicide, according to results of a survey of Colorado residents living with children.
Studies have shown that having firearms in the home, especially if they are unlocked, is associated with an increased risk of youth suicide. The AAP advises families who own guns to keep them locked and unloaded with ammunition locked separately.
The authors of this study looked at caregivers’ perceptions of firearm safety and suicide using responses from 512 parents who completed a survey in 2023.
Results showed that 46% of caregivers said they had a firearm in the home. Just 23.7% correctly pointed to suicide as the leading cause of firearm deaths in Colorado, with no differences between those with and without a firearm in the home.
“With this study, we have identified an opportunity to educate families about the preventability of suicide and how limiting firearm access in times of crisis can decrease suicide deaths,” the study’s lead author Maya Haasz, M.D., FAAP, said in a press release.
The study also found that 47.8% of those with household firearms thought suicide could be prevented compared to 68.9% of those without. In addition, 59.6% of those with firearms believed removing guns from their home temporarily would decrease the risk of injury or death compared to 77.7% of those without a firearm.
“This is especially concerning when many believe that suicide can’t be prevented by measures such as limiting access to home firearms,” said Dr. Haasz, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “It highlights a crucial messaging opportunity — that there are effective ways to decrease the risk of suicide for our youth.”
