Suicide, guns, and public policy

E.M. Lewiecki and S.A. Miller

American Journal of Public Health, 2013, vol. 103, issue 1, 27-31

Abstract: Suicide is a serious public health concern that is responsible for almost 1 million deaths each year worldwide. It is commonly an impulsive act by a vulnerable individual. The impulsivity of suicide provides opportunities to reduce the risk of suicide by restricting access to lethal means. In the United States, firearms, particularly handguns, are the most commonmeans of suicide. Despite strong empirical evidence that restrictionofaccesstofirearms reduces suicides, access to firearms in the United States is generally subject to few restrictions. Implementation and evaluation of measures such as waiting periods and permit requirements that restrict access to handguns should be a top priority for reducing deaths from impulsive suicide in the United States. Copyright © 2012 by the American Public Health Association®.

Keywords: article; firearm; human; legal aspect; policy; statistics; suicide; United States, Firearms; Humans; Public Policy; Suicide; United States (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2012.300964_4

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.300964

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