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

ABSTRACT:

Introduction and objective

The United States (US) has the highest rate of firearm suicides in the world. The US and Canada are comparable countries with markedly different rates of firearm ownership, providing an opportunity to estimate suicide fatalities that could be averted in the US with a lower rate of firearm ownership.

Methods

We compared 2016 US suicide fatality rates-standardized within fourteen sex-specific age groups to reflect the ethnic composition of Canada-to 2016 Canadian suicide rates. We then calculated the number and proportion of suicides that could be averted in the US if the US had the same rates of suicide as in Canada.

Results

If the US had the same suicide rates as in Canada, we estimate there would be approximately 25.9% fewer US suicide fata

SUBMITTER: Raifman J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7192495 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature