To estimate firearm storage practices in homes with children and explore relationships with sociodemographic factors and firearm-related behaviors, including the type and number of firearms owned.
Key Findings:
Adolescents in homes with firearms are at least 3 times more likely to die by suicide compared to those without firearms.
Storage practices have become less secure over recent decades, with 21% of households reporting at least one loaded and unlocked firearm in 2015.
The study identified three categories of firearm storage safety among respondents: least safe (at least one gun stored loaded and unlocked), safest (all guns stored unloaded and locked), and intermediate risk (no guns stored loaded and unlocked but at least one gun stored loaded and locked or unloaded and unlocked).
Interpretation:
The findings highlight the ongoing risk of firearm-related injuries and suicides among minors due to inadequate storage practices in homes.
Limitations:
The study relies on self-reported data, which may be subject to bias and could affect the accuracy of reported storage practices.
Specific ages of children were not known in all households, limiting detailed analysis.
Conclusion:
Improving firearm storage practices is crucial to enhancing safety for minors in homes with firearms, addressing the ongoing risks of firearm-related injuries and suicides.
