Firearm Behavioral Practices and Suicide Risk in U.S. Army Soldiers and Veterans

摘要 在美国，枪支是最常见的自杀方式。退伍军人所占比例不成比例 在这一负担中，占枪支中介自杀的69.4%以上。自杀催生毁灭性后果 除了减少对服役人员和退伍军人家属和社区的影响 生产力和经济负担。枪支引发的暴力造成的创伤超出了 大多数试图自杀的人可能会在虚弱的伤害中幸存下来， 身体残疾和慢性精神健康问题。考虑到退伍军人比 平民拥有枪支，在公共场合携带，并经常使用，有一种未得到满足的需求 阐明枪械使用与自杀之间的关系，以确定需要自杀的退伍军人 预防策略。根据初步证据将性别、地理、人格特征， 心理健康、生活方式、年龄和其他社会人口因素对枪支可及性的影响，我们 假设枪支可获得性、储存和所有权以外的因素影响枪支 居间自杀。我们的目标是提高对服役人员动机的理解 以及拥有枪支的退伍军人，将其储存在不安全的条件下，并使用它们伤害他人或 他们自己。研究将包括对从研究中获得的数据集进行二次分析，以 评估军人的风险和复原力-纵向研究(STARRS-LS)，纵向 对2015-2020年间超过14,000名士兵的研究。这项研究的具体目的是：1)确定 枪支行为做法的要素(例如，枪支拥有权、储存做法和枪支携带 可预测自杀死亡人数；2)确定地理位置是否与 地点和自杀，通过检查各州的军事自杀率和枪支法律的力度在一个 国家；3)确定持有枪支的主要原因，以及所确定的原因的程度 调节自杀风险；以及4)确定仓储做法和 个性特征(如冲动、偏执、攻击性等)或其他精神健康问题。 一种集中风险的方法预计将揭示枪支拥有、使用 以及影响枪支的社会人口、文化和地理因素 调节退伍军人的自杀风险。这项研究的更广泛影响预计将是 全面了解导致枪支中介自杀的风险，从而 提高风险识别能力。这项研究是在`目标一：研究 帮助通报创新和有希望的机会的发展，以加强安全和预防 与枪支有关的伤害、死亡和犯罪“，资金来自备选方案A。

Abstract In the US, firearms are the most common method of suicide. Veterans bear a disproportionate share of this burden, representing over 69.4% of firearm mediated suicides. Suicide precipitates devastating impacts on service members and veterans' families and communities, in addition to reducing productivity and burdening the economy. The trauma of firearm mediated violence extends beyond decedents, with a majority of individuals who attempt suicide likely to survive with debilitating injuries, physical disabilities, and chronic mental health problems. Given that veterans are more likely than civilians to own firearms, carry them in public, and use them regularly, there is an unmet need to elucidate the relationship between firearm use and suicide, to identify veterans in need of suicide prevention strategies. Based on preliminary evidence linking gender, geography, personality traits, mental health, lifestyle, age, and other socio-demographic factors to firearm accessibility, we hypothesize that factors beyond firearm accessibility, storage and ownership influence firearm mediated suicide. Our objective is to improve the understanding of motivations for service members and veterans owning firearms, storing them in unsafe conditions and using them to hurt others or themselves. The study will comprise secondary analysis of data sets obtained from the Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers – Longitudinal Study (STARRS-LS), a longitudinal study of over 14,000 soldiers between 2015-2020. The specific aims of the study are to: 1) Identify factors firearms behavioral practices (e.g., firearm ownership, storage practices and firearms carrying practices) that may predict suicide deaths; 2) Establish if there is a relationship between geographic location and suicide, by examining military suicide rates by state and strength of gun laws within a state; 3) Identify the principal reasons for keeping a gun, and the degree to which identified reasons mediate suicide risk; and 4) Establish if there is a relationship between storage practices and personality characteristics (i.e. impulsivity, paranoia, aggression, etc.) or other mental health issues. A concentration of risk approach is expected to reveal interactions between firearm ownership, use and storage practices, and sociodemographic, cultural and geographical factors that influence firearm mediated suicide risk in veterans. The broader impact of this study is anticipated to be the development of a comprehensive understanding of risks contributing to firearm mediated suicide, thus improving risk identification capabilities. This study is proposed under `Objective One: Research to help inform the development of innovative and promising opportunities to enhance safety and prevent firearm-related injuries, deaths, and crime,' funded through Funding Option A.