Firearm access, storage practices, and suicide risk factors among Colorado adults during 2020–2022

By Leslie M. Barnard 

,

Wei Perng ,

Ashley Brooks-Russell,

Talia L. Spark,

Marian E. Betz,

Carolyn DiGuiseppi

Background: Firearms are the most common and lethal method of suicide. Previous studies showed that households with firearms have a higher risk of suicide. It is unclear whether this is due to higher underlying risk of suicide among groups who have firearms or those who store their firearms securely. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis used Colorado Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from the period 2020–2022, which is weighted to represent the Colorado population. We used survey-weighted Poisson regression to calculate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) for associations of selected suicide risk factors (depressive disorder, excessive alcohol use, poor mental health, poor physical health) with firearm presence and storage practices. Results: One-third (36.5%; 95% CI: 35.8–37.7) of respondents said that they kept at least one firearm in/around their home; of those, 15.0% (95% CI 13.8–16.2) said at least one firearm was loaded and unlocked. Overall, 13.7% (95% CI 13.0–14.4) of adult Colorado residents reported poor mental health, 9.5% (95% CI 8.9–10.0) reported poor physical health, 20.4% (95% CI 19.6–21.2) reported a depressive disorder, and 30.5% (95% CI 29.4–31.7) reported excessive alcohol use. Only excessive alcohol use was more common among those keeping a firearm in/around the home compared to those not doing so (aPR 1.09 [95% CI 1.01–1.17]), and none were associated with unsecure firearm storage. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the association between household firearms and suicide is not explained by an increase in suicidality among those with firearms but rather may be explained by the presence or unsecure storage of a firearm.

2025, Academia Mental Health and Well-Being Volume 2; Issue 4