Why exposure to firearm suicide may not mean safer gun storage
Knowing someone who died by firearm suicide is associated with greater recognition of suicide risk, but may not lead to safer storage practices, according to a Rutgers study published in Psychiatry Research.
A Rutgers study published in Psychiatry Research found that personal experience with firearm suicide may not necessarily lead to safer gun storage practices. While exposure to firearm suicide is associated with greater recognition of suicide risk, it was also linked to storing firearms unlocked and loaded among U.S. adults surveyed.
The study, which analyzed responses from 7,810 participants, suggests that awareness of the risk does not automatically translate into secure storage behaviors. Researchers note that this disconnect is important for suicide prevention efforts and call for ways to make secure storage feel practical for families and homes. The study does not directly test other potential explanations for this paradox, such as concerns about outside threats or a perceived low likelihood of experiencing firearm suicide oneself.
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