Eduardo Cuevas
USA Today
Originally posted 26 SEPT 24
More women in the U.S. are using firearms in suicide deaths, a new federal report says.
Firearms were used in more than half the country’s record 49,500 suicide deaths in 2022, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows. Traditionally, men die by suicide at a much higher rate than women, and they often do so using guns. The CDC report published Thursday, however, found firearms were the leading means of suicide for women since 2020, and suicide deaths overall among women also increased.
Firearms have been the primary means for most suicide deaths in the U.S. Guns stored in homes, especially those not stored securely, are linked to higher levels of suicide.
Increased use of firearms by women corresponds to a greater risk of suicide, Rebecca Bernert, founder of the Stanford Suicide Prevention Research Laboratory, said in an email.
For this reason, it's important to teach gun owners about safe storage to prevent people from having immediate access to a loaded weapon, said Bernert, who is also a Stanford Medicine professor. Restricting access to “lethal means," she said, is among "the most potent suicide prevention strategies that exist worldwide."
The problem, Bernert said, is such restrictions tend to be "vastly underutilized and poorly understood as a public health strategy.”
Here are some thoughts:
Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals a concerning trend in suicide deaths among women in the United States. In 2022, firearms were used in over half of the country's record 49,500 suicide deaths.
While men traditionally have higher suicide rates and more frequently use firearms, the CDC report indicates that since 2020, firearms have become the leading means of suicide for women as well. This shift corresponds with an overall increase in suicide deaths among women. Experts attribute this trend to various factors, including increased gun ownership among women, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which also exacerbated stress and isolation.
The accessibility of firearms in homes, especially when not stored securely, is linked to higher suicide risks. Suicide prevention specialists emphasize the importance of safe gun storage and restricting access to lethal means as crucial strategies.
The report highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention, including addressing social connections, mental health support, and awareness of crisis resources. While suicide rates have been rising across demographics, the increasing use of firearms by women in suicide attempts is a particularly alarming development that requires urgent attention and targeted interventions.
