HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Shenassa, E. D Articles by Buka, S. L Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Shenassa, E. D Articles by Buka, S. L Topic Collections Relevant Article

Utility of indices of gun availability in the community

¹ Department of Community Health, Brown School of Medicine, Providence, USA and Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Brown School of Medicine and The Miriam Hospital, USA
² Biostatistics Section, Department of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, USA
³ Departments of Society, Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, USA

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr E D Shenassa
Department of Community Health and Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Brown Medical School, One Hoppin Street, Suite 500, Providence, RI 02903, USA; Edmond_Shenassa{at}Brown.edu

Objective: To estimate the degree to which the proportion of homicides and suicides committed with a gun is associated with reported availability of firearms across Chicago neighbourhoods.

Methods: Data were collected as part of the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN), a combined neighbourhood and individual level study of the city of Chicago. The study used data from 837 PHDCN participants between the ages of 17 and 22, residing in 170 different neighbourhoods. Gun availability was measured via participant reports on whether they had carried a gun and whether they perceived gun access to be easy in their community. Data on suicides and homicides were obtained from the Chicago Department of Health.

Results: A 10% change in the proportion of homicides committed by a gun in a neighbourhood was associated with a 20% increase in both the odds of reported gun access and reported gun carrying (p = 0.002 and 0.048, respectively). The proportion of firearm related suicides was not associated with either of those self reported measures.

Conclusions: The proportion of firearm related homicides, but not the proportion of firearm related suicides, is a useful predictor of gun availability across small areas such as neighbourhoods.

Keywords: firearms; suicide; homicide; public health; epidemiology

Relevant Article

In this issue

Carlos Alvarez-Dardet and John R Ashton
J Epidemiol Community Health 2006 60: 1. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. C. Branas, D. Culhane, T. S. Richmond, and D. J. Wiebe Novel Linkage of Individual and Geographic Data to Study Firearm Violence Homicide Studies, August 1, 2008; 12(3): 298 - 320. [Abstract] [PDF]

				SPLINTERS & FRAGMENTS Inj. Prev., August 1, 2006; 12(4): 279 - 279. [Full Text] [PDF]

				Splinters & fragments Inj. Prev., April 1, 2006; 12(2): 136 - 136. [Full Text] [PDF]