ORLANDO, Fla.—A study found fewer than one in four Colorado residents living with children at home recognized suicide as the leading cause of firearm death and less than half thought suicide can be prevented, according to research presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 National Conference & Exhibition.
The study will be published online in the journal Pediatrics Sept. 27, the first day of the conference at the AAP National Conference and Exhibition that runs from Sept. 27-Oct. 1 at the Orange County Convention Center. While most research presented during the conference is preliminary, the study, “Colorado Caregivers’ Perceptions of Firearm Safety and Youth Suicide,” will publish in the October 2024 Pediatrics.
“We are all working toward the same goal of keeping our children safe,” said the lead author, Maya Haasz, MD FAAP, Associate Professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “With this study, we have identified an opportunity to educate families about the preventability of suicide and how limiting firearm access in times of crisis can decrease suicide deaths.”
The study was conducted using data from the 2023 Colorado Firearm Injury Prevention Survey (COFIPS), an annual state-representative survey of Colorado adults conducted by the University of Colorado Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative (Emergency Medicine | Major Programs | Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative (cuanschutz.edu).
The 1,520 adults completing the survey included 512 caregivers with children younger than 18 years in the household. Survey questions assessed firearm storage, perceptions of firearm-related risks, and concerns about suicide among youth
Researchers found that Coloradans living with children in the home underestimated the risk of firearm-related suicide. Additionally, although nearly two thirds of participants were concerned about youth suicide in the community, only one third were concerned about suicide among youth in their own families. Finally, while those living in households with firearms believed that secure storage decreased risk of firearm injury, less than half thought suicide can be prevented and only 60% believed that removing firearms from the home would decrease the risk of injury in times of mental health crisis.
“This is especially concerning when many believe that suicide can’t be prevented by measures such as limiting access to home firearms,” Dr. Haasz said. “It highlights a crucial messaging opportunity – that there are effective ways to decrease the risk of suicide for our youth.”
Dr. Maya Haasz, is scheduled to present her research, which is below, at the Hyatt Regency Orlando, Plaza International Ballroom on September 29, from 12 pm – 1 p. To request an interview with Dr. Maya Haasz, contact the Children’s Hospital Colorado media relations team at media@childrenscolorado.org.
In addition, Dr. Haasz will be among highlighted abstract authors who will give brief presentations and be available for interviews during a press conference from noon-1:30 pm ET the National Conference Press Room, W208 AB. During the meeting, you may reach AAP media relations staff at 407-685-5401.
Please note: only the abstract is being presented at the meeting. In some cases, the researcher may have more data available to share with media, or may be preparing a longer article for submission to a journal.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org. Reporters can access the meeting program and other relevant meeting information through the AAP meeting website at http://www.aapexperience.org/
ABSTRACT
Program Name: 2024 AAP National Conference-Abstracts
Submission Type: Council on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention
Abstract Title: Colorado Caregivers’ Perceptions of Firearm Safety and Youth Suicide
Maya Haasz
Aurora, CO, United States
In the US, 4.6 million households with youth contain loaded and unlocked firearms.1 Household firearms, particularly unsecured household firearms, are associated with increased risk of youth suicide.2,3 This study examined perceptions of firearm risk and suicide among caregivers with and without household firearms.
The Colorado Firearm Injury Prevention Survey was administered by the Ipsos survey firm online in English and Spanish from April-May 2023. Of 1,520 adults completing the survey, we included 512 caregivers (children < 18 years in the household). Survey questions assessed firearm storage, perceptions of firearm-related risks, and concerns about suicide among youth. Likert scales were dichotomized to improve interpretability. We estimated weighted prevalences and 95% confidence intervals (CI), and compared differences between households using weighted chi-square tests. Poststratification weights were applied to make findings representative of Colorado adults. The study was approved by the Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board.
Colorado caregivers were primarily female (56.4%), aged 25-54 (77.4%), White (87.8%), non-Hispanic (74.9%), and had a child ≤12 years at home (79.3%). Nearly half (45.5%) reported a firearm in the home (Table 1). Among all caregivers, 23.7% correctly identified suicide as the leading cause of firearm death in Colorado, with no difference between groups. Caregivers with household firearms were more likely to believe a firearm in the home made them safer (52.2% vs 22.4%, p< 0.001) and that secure storage reduced the risk of firearm injury. They were less likely to believe that suicide can be prevented (47.8% vs 68.9%p< 0.001), or that temporary removal of firearms decreases risk of firearm injury or death (59.6% vs 77.7%, p< 0.001). Two thirds of caregivers were concerned about youth suicide in their community. Caregivers with household firearms were less likely to be concerned about suicide among youth within their own family (28.1% vs 38.5%, p=0.013) (Table 2).
Less than a quarter of caregivers in Colorado recognized suicide as the leading cause of firearm death in their state. There was more concern for youth suicide in the community than in the family; caregivers with firearms were less concerned about youth suicide in their family than those without. This risk is compounded by a belief that suicide is not preventable and that strategies to mitigate the risk of suicide are not effective. This study has several limitations. Respondents were all in Colorado; results may not be generalizable. Responses may have been impacted by non-response or social desirability bias. The study did not include context that may affect violence risk (ex. neighborhood crime). Our finding that firearm owners believe that secure firearm storage is protective against firearm injury is a promising messaging strategy. Future research should explore effectiveness of preventive messaging in improving perceptions around household firearms and suicide risk.
Firearm culture, perceptions of firearm-related risks, and concern about youth suicide among Colorado caregivers with and without household firearms
Table 1: Sociodemographics of Colorado caregivers with and without household firearms
Journal
PEDIATRICS