Firearm Ownership and Acquisition Among Parents With Risk Factors for Self-Harm or Other Violence

Joseph A. Ladapo; Marc N. Elliott; David E. Kanouse; David C. Schwebel; Sara L. Toomey; Sylvie Mrug; Paula M. Cuccaro; Susan R. Tortolero; Mark A. Schuster

doi:10.1016/j.acap.2016.05.145

Back

Firearm Ownership and Acquisition Among Parents With Risk Factors for Self-Harm or Other Violence

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Firearm Ownership and Acquisition Among Parents With Risk Factors for Self-Harm or Other Violence

Joseph A. Ladapo, Marc N. Elliott, David E. Kanouse, David C. Schwebel, Sara L. Toomey, Sylvie Mrug, Paula M. Cuccaro, Susan R. Tortolero and Mark A. Schuster

Academic pediatrics, Vol.16(8), pp.742-749

11/01/2016

DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2016.05.145

PMCID: PMC5077672

PMID: 27426038

Files and links (1)

url

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/5077672View

Open Access

Abstract

Recent policy initiatives aiming to reduce firearm morbidity focus on mental health and illness. However, few studies have simultaneously examined mental health and behavioral predictors within families, or their longitudinal association with newly acquiring a firearm. Population-based, longitudinal survey of 4251 parents of fifth-grade students in 3 US metropolitan areas; 2004 to 2011. Multivariate logistic models were used to assess associations between owning or acquiring a firearm and parent mental illness and substance use. Ninety-three percent of parents interviewed were women. Overall, 19.6% of families reported keeping a firearm in the home. After adjustment for confounders, history of depression (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.77), binge drinking (aOR 1.75; 95% CI, 1.14–2.68), and illicit drug use (aOR 1.75; 95% CI, 1.12–2.76) were associated with a higher likelihood of keeping a firearm in the home. After a mean of 3.1 years, 6.1% of parents who did not keep a firearm in the home at baseline acquired one by follow-up and kept it in the home (average annual likelihood = 2.1%). No risk factors for self-harm or other violence were associated with newly acquiring a gun in the home. Families with risk factors for self-harm or other violence have a modestly greater probability of having a firearm in the home compared with families without risk factors, and similar probability of newly acquiring a firearm. Treatment interventions for many of these risk factors might reduce firearm-related morbidity.

firearm acquisition

firearm ownership

self-harm

violence

Details

Title: Subtitle: Firearm Ownership and Acquisition Among Parents With Risk Factors for Self-Harm or Other Violence
Creators: Joseph A. Ladapo - New York University
Marc N. Elliott - RAND Corporation
David E. Kanouse - RAND Corporation
David C. Schwebel - University of Alabama at Birmingham
Sara L. Toomey - Boston Children's Hospital
Sylvie Mrug - University of Alabama at Birmingham
Paula M. Cuccaro - The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Susan R. Tortolero - The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Mark A. Schuster - Harvard University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Academic pediatrics, Vol.16(8), pp.742-749
DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2016.05.145
PMID: 27426038
PMCID: PMC5077672
NLM abbreviation: Acad Pediatr
ISSN: 1876-2859
eISSN: 1876-2867
Publisher: Elsevier Inc
Number of pages: 8
Language: English
Date published: 11/01/2016
Academic Unit: Research Administration
Record Identifier: 9984949462102771

Metrics

3 Record Views

9 Times Cited - Web of Science

See more details