NCJ Number
185663
Date Published
1997
Length
63 pages
Annotation
Deaths due to firearm injuries represent an increasingly important public health problem, with injuries from firearms being the ninth leading cause of death overall in the United States in 1994 and the fourth leading cause of years of potential life lost before 65 years of age.
Abstract
Information was obtained from detailed mortality tapes prepared by the National Center for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and from the U.S. Bureau of the Census. During the 33-year period covered by the report, the total number of firearm deaths increased by 130 percent, from 16,720 in 1962 to 38,505 in 1994. Data showed suicide and homicide were responsible for most firearm fatalities throughout the 33-year period and accounted for 94 percent of the total in 1994. Fluctuations and the overall increase in rates of total firearm-related mortality most closely resembled the pattern of firearm-related homicide. Although suicide rates were high and gradually increased over time, they varied less than homicide rates. Rates for unintentional deaths from firearms, deaths during legal intervention, and deaths of undetermined intent were low and generally declined over the study period. Firearm-related mortality affected all demographic groups, but the greatest increases in recent years were among teenagers between 15 and 19 years of age, young adults between 20 and 24 years of age, and older adults 75 years of age and older. Rates of overall firearm-related mortality for young people between 15 and 24 years were higher between 1990 and 1994 than at any other time during the 33-year period. For those between 15 and 19 years of age, increases in firearm-related homicide, suicide, and unintentional injury deaths were especially great. The increase in firearm-related homicide in this age group occurred among all race and sex groups. For the elderly, rates of suicide by firearm were particularly high, and increases occurred in all race and sex groups except black females for whom the number of suicides was too small to produce stable rates. If the trends continue, firearm-related injuries may become the leading cause of death attributed to injuries by the year 2003, surpassing injuries due to motor vehicle crashes. The data are intended to help public health practitioners, researchers, and policymakers deal with the problem of and prevent firearm-related deaths in the United States. 15 references, 15 tables, and 15 figures