Firearms and Adolescent Suicide: a Community Case-Control Study

The presence, type, number & method of storage of firearms in the home were compared between 67 teen suicide victims & 67 living community controls. Even after adjusting for differences in rates of psychiatric disorders between the 2 groups, the association between suicide & both any gun & handguns in the home were both highly significant. It is suggested that pediatricians faced with a suicidal adolescent should insist on the removal of firearms from the home. (33 refs.)