Suicide fatalities in the US compared to Canada: Potential suicides averted with lower firearm ownership in the US

Fallacy of attributing the U.S. firearm mortality epidemic to mental health

BACKGROUND

Annual global data on mental disorders prevalence and firearm death rates for 2000-2019, enables the U.S. to be compared with comparable counties for these metrics.

METHODS

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Health Burden data were used to compare the prevalence of mental disorders with overall, homicide and suicide firearm death rates including homicides and suicides, in high sociodemographic (SDI) countries.

RESULTS

Overall and in none of the nine major categories of mental disorders did the U.S. have a statistically-significant higher rate than any of 40 other high SDI countries during 2019, the last year of available data. During the same year, the U.S. had a statistically-significant higher rate of all deaths, homicides, and suicides by firearm (all p<<0.001) than all other 40 high SDI countries. Suicides accounted for most of the firearm death rate differences between the U.S. and other high SDI countries, and yet the prevalence of mental health disorders associated with suicide were not significantly difference between the U.S. and other high SDI countries.

CONCLUSION

Mental disorder prevalence in the U.S. is similar in all major categories to its 40 comparable sociodemographic countries, including mental health disorders primarily associated with suicide. It cannot therefore explain the country's strikingly higher firearm death rate, including suicide. Reducing firearm prevalence, which is correlated with the country's firearm death rate, is a logical solution that has been applied by other countries.

A population-based study on the epidemiology of firearm-related injury in Nova Scotia

OBJECTIVE

Firearm-related trauma is a significant cause of preventable mortality. In 2020, Nova Scotia experienced the largest mass shooting in Canadian history. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology of firearm-related injury and death in Nova Scotia and to assess for factors associated with mortality.

METHODS

A retrospective observational study of all major trauma patients in Nova Scotia who sustained firearm-related injuries between 2001 and 2020 was conducted. Data was collected from the Nova Scotia Trauma Registry and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service. Injury rates were evaluated over time, by age/sex, and by intent (assault/homicide, self-harm, other), and were mapped by municipality. Characteristics of survivors and non-survivors were compared using t-tests and chi-square analysis. A multivariate logistic regression model was created to assess for predictors of mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 776 firearm-related injuries occurred over the 19-year study period, for an overall age- and sex-adjusted firearm injury rate of 4.44 per 100,000 population. Patients ranged in age from 6 to 92 years (mean 45.0±19.2 years) and most were male (95.6%; 742/776). Injuries were predominantly self-inflicted (65%; 504/776). The majority of patients died from their injuries (72%; 558/776); 64% (497/776) died at the scene. The overall age- and sex-adjusted firearm mortality rate was 3.18 per 100,000. Most non-survivors had injuries that were self-inflicted (83.2%; 464/558). Increasing age (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00-1.04) and increasing Injury Severity Score (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.07-1.15) were associated with greater likelihood of mortality. Activation of the trauma team was associated with survival (OR 0.04, 95% CI 0.02-0.10).

CONCLUSION

Trauma patients with firearm-related injuries were predominantly male and most injuries were self-inflicted among middle-aged to older patients. Younger patients tended to be victims of homicide/assault and were more likely to survive their injuries.

Worldwide suicide mortality trends by firearm (1990–2019): A joinpoint regression analysis

Introduction

Suicide by firearm is a major public health problem in many countries. But, studies that investigated the mortality of suicide by firearm on a global scale are still limited. The aim of this study was to assess the global, regional and national trends in mortality of suicide by firearm from 1990 to 2019.

Method

Mortality data of suicide by firearm was presented using the age-standardized rates (ASRs, expressed per 100,000). Joinpoint regression analysis was used to assess trends of mortality of suicide by firearm: the average annual percent change (AAPC) with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was calculated.

Results

A total of 52,694 (45,110 male and 7584 female) deaths of suicide by firearm were reported worldwide in 2019. The global ASR of suicide by firearm was six-fold higher in males than in females (1.15 per 100,000 and 0.19 per 100,000, respectively), and varied greatly across countries: the highest rates were in Greenland (24.52 per 100,000 and 2.69 per 100,000, respectively) and the United States of America (10.13 per 100,000 and 1.66 per 100,000, respectively), while the lowest rates (0.05 per 100,000 or less) were observed in China, Japan and Singapore. Globally, the mortality of suicide by firearm had a decreasing tendency from 1990 to 2019 in both sexes together (AAPC = -2.0% per year; 95%CI = -2.1 to -1.9).

Conclusion

Decreasing trends in mortality of suicide by firearm were observed in majority of countries across the world, but not in all. Future research should determine more effective ways to further reduce mortality of suicide by firearm.