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Traumatic Brain Injury–Related Deaths From Firearm Suicide: United States, 2008–2017
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April 16 2020
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Source: Am J Public Health. 110(6):897-899
[PDF-48.81 KB]
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Alternative Title:Am J Public Health
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Description:Objectives
To document the increasing influence of firearm suicide on the incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI)–related death in the United States.
Methods
We used national vital statistics data from 2008 to 2017 to identify TBI-related deaths, overall and by cause, among US residents. National counts stratified by year, sex, and age group (to facilitate age adjustment) were merged with corresponding population estimates to calculate incidence rates.
Results
During the 10-year period beginning in 2008, when it became the leading cause of TBI-related death in the United States, firearm suicide accounted for nearly half (48.3%) of the increase in the absolute incidence of TBI-related death when combining all injury categories showing absolute increases. Rates of TBI-related firearm suicide increased among both males and females.
Conclusions
Safe storage of firearms among people at risk and training of health care providers and community members to identify and support people who may be thinking of suicide are part of a comprehensive public health approach to suicide prevention.
Public Health Implications
States, communities, and health care systems can save lives by prioritizing comprehensive suicide prevention.
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Pubmed ID:32298184
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Pubmed Central ID:PMC7204476
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