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. 2004 Oct;94(10):1750-5.
doi: 10.2105/ajph.94.10.1750.

Urban-rural shifts in intentional firearm death: different causes, same results

Charles C Branas  1 , Michael L Nance, Michael R Elliott, Therese S Richmond, C William Schwab
Affiliations

Urban-rural shifts in intentional firearm death: different causes, same results

Charles C Branas et al. Am J Public Health. 2004 Oct.

Abstract

Objectives: We analyzed urban-rural differences in intentional firearm death.

Methods: We analyzed 584629 deaths from 1989 to 1999 assigned to 3141 US counties, using negative binomial regressions and an 11-category urban-rural variable.

Results: The most urban counties had 1.03 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.87, 1.20) times the adjusted firearm death rate of the most rural counties. The most rural counties experienced 1.54 (95% CI=1.29, 1.83) times the adjusted firearm suicide rate of the most urban. The most urban counties experienced 1.90 (95% CI=1.50, 2.40) times the adjusted firearm homicide rate of the most rural. Similar opposing trends were not found for nonfirearm suicide or homicide.

Conclusions: Firearm suicide in rural counties is as important a public health problem as firearm homicide in urban counties. Policymakers should become aware that intentional firearm deaths affect all types of communities in the United States.

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Figures

FIGURE 1—
FIGURE 1—
Unadjusted mortality rates by urban–rural county type: (a) intentional firearm and intentional nonfirearm, (b) firearm suicide and homicide, (c) nonfirearm suicide and homicide.
FIGURE 1—
FIGURE 1—
Unadjusted mortality rates by urban–rural county type: (a) intentional firearm and intentional nonfirearm, (b) firearm suicide and homicide, (c) nonfirearm suicide and homicide.
FIGURE 1—
FIGURE 1—
Unadjusted mortality rates by urban–rural county type: (a) intentional firearm and intentional nonfirearm, (b) firearm suicide and homicide, (c) nonfirearm suicide and homicide.
FIGURE 2—
FIGURE 2—
Regression-adjusted firearm relative risks and 95% confidence intervals by county type: (a) firearm suicide and homicide, (b) firearm suicide, (c) firearm homicide.
FIGURE 2—
FIGURE 2—
Regression-adjusted firearm relative risks and 95% confidence intervals by county type: (a) firearm suicide and homicide, (b) firearm suicide, (c) firearm homicide.
FIGURE 2—
FIGURE 2—
Regression-adjusted firearm relative risks and 95% confidence intervals by county type: (a) firearm suicide and homicide, (b) firearm suicide, (c) firearm homicide.
FIGURE 3—
FIGURE 3—
Regression-adjusted nonfirearm relative risks and 95% confidence intervals by county type: (a) nonfirearm suicide and homicide, (b) nonfirearm suicide, (c) nonfirearm homicide.
FIGURE 3—
FIGURE 3—
Regression-adjusted nonfirearm relative risks and 95% confidence intervals by county type: (a) nonfirearm suicide and homicide, (b) nonfirearm suicide, (c) nonfirearm homicide.
FIGURE 3—
FIGURE 3—
Regression-adjusted nonfirearm relative risks and 95% confidence intervals by county type: (a) nonfirearm suicide and homicide, (b) nonfirearm suicide, (c) nonfirearm homicide.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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