Journal
ARCHIVES OF SUICIDE RESEARCH
Volume 24, Issue -, Pages 260-279Publisher
ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/13811118.2019.1572555
Keywords
firearms; veterans; mental health providers; suicide risk
Categories
Funding
- Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development [RRP 07-284]
- Department of Veterans Affairs Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, Canandaigua, New York
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Objectives: To assess possession of household firearms among veterans receiving mental health care and the frequency of their discussions with clinicians about firearms. Methods: We surveyed random samples of veterans receiving mental health care in each of five purposively chosen, geographically diverse VA facilities; 677 (50% of recipients) responded. Results: 45.3% (95% CI 41.2, 49.3) of veteran respondents reported household firearms; 46.9% of those with suicidal thoughts and 55.6% with a suicide plan had household firearms. Only 27.5% of all veteran respondents and 44% of those with recent suicidal ideation and household firearms had had a firearm-related discussion with a clinician. Discussion: Many veterans receiving mental health care can readily access firearms, a highly lethal means for suicide. Increasing clinician-patient discussions and health system efforts to reduce firearm access might reduce suicide in this clinical population.
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