Characteristics and patterns of older adult homicides in the United States.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Nearly 1800 homicides were reported in 2018 among individuals aged 60 years or older in the US. The characteristics and circumstances of these homicides are understudied. We investigated the trends of homicides over time and compared victim, perpetrator, and incident characteristics by mechanism (firearm vs. non-firearm) among adults aged 60 years or older.

Methods

We examined cross-sectional restricted-access data from the National Violent Death Reporting System from 2003 to 2017. Fatal Injury Data by CDC provided age-adjusted homicide rates. We quantitatively summarized victim, perpetrator, and incident characteristics for firearm and non-firearm homicides. We also reviewed 150 qualitative narratives to better understand the context of older adult homicides perp

SUBMITTER: Shawon RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7849130 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature