On average, over 3,000 children and adolescents ages 0 to 19 die each year in the U.S. from a firearm injury. In children and adolescents ages 10-19, approximately 4 in 10 of those deaths are by suicide. In CSN’s infographic, Firearm Safety: Preventing Death by Suicide you can learn more about how these rates differ by sex, race/ethnicity, and ways you can help keep children safe.
FIREARM SAFETY: Preventing Death by Suicide
- Firearm suicides are the fourth leading cause of injury death for children ages (10-19).*
- Approximately nine children and adolescents ages 10 to 19 die by firearm injury each day in the U.S., and about three of those deaths are suicide-related firearm injury.
- Firearm injury suicide death rates increased by 6.3% per year on average between 2010 and 2019.**
- More than a third (39%) firearm injury deaths are related to suicide in adolescents ages 10-19.
- More than a third (39%) firearm injury deaths are related to suicide in adolescents ages 10-19.
BY RACE/ETHNICITY
American Indian/Alaska Native youth have the highest rates of deaths by suicide
| Firearm Injury Rate by Race/Ethnicity Per 100,000 Children and Adolescents Ages 10-19 | |
|---|---|
| White | 3.9 |
| Black | 2.0 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.4 |
| American Indian/Alaskan Native | 6.0 |
| Hispanic | 1.6 |
BY SEX
Males have a higher firearm suicide rate than females
| Firearm Suicide Death Rate by Sex Per 100,000 Adolescents Ages 10-19 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | |
| Ages 10-19 Years | 4.9 | 0.8 |
PREVENTION RECOMMENDATIONS
For Families: Store firearms safely, use gun safes or gun locks, and store bullets separately
For Clinicians: Screen caregivers of youth for the presence of a firearm in the home and educate them around firearm safety
For Schools and Communities: Provide social and emotional learning and behavioral skills training to youth to reduce violence and prevent harmful use of firearms
MORE INFORMATION
- Firearm Safety 2021 Resource Guide | Children's Safety Network https://www.childrenssafetynetwork.org/resources/firearm-safety-2021-resource-guide
- Firearm Violence Prevention | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/firearms/index.html
- Childhood Firearm Injuries in the United States | Pediatrics https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/140/1/e20163486
SOURCES
*All data from CDC WISQARS, 2016-2019 unless noted.
** Joinpoint regression analysis (on data from CDC WISQARS, 2010-2019) provided annual percent change for the time points in which firearm injury trends significantly changed.