Many Personal Circumstances Precede Firearm Suicide Death Among Black Adults in the US

A new study identified several major themes associated with firearm suicide among Black adults in the United States. The findings were published in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.

“Despite an alarming rise in firearm suicide rates within Black communities, there has been little research on the contributors that precede firearm suicide deaths among Black adults,” the researchers noted.

To fill this knowledge gap, the investigators focused on the following overarching question: What are the recurring and salient personal circumstances experienced by Black adults prior to dying by firearm suicide in the US?

In this basic, interpretive qualitative study, researchers assessed narrative text data for 843 Black adult firearm suicide decedents from the National Violent Death Reporting System. The analysis moved back and forth between description and interpretation, and ultimately yielded five major themes contributing to firearm suicide in this population.

• Decedents often experienced poor health (physical and/or mental) prior to death.
• Romantic relationships were often deteriorating, leading to frequent arguments.
• Alcohol and substance use were common before a suicide attempt.
• Decedents frequently experienced both financial and legal difficulties prior to death.
• Decedents had access to firearms, and limiting firearm availability before death was challenging.

“Additional research on potential intervention pathways will be critical, given recent evidence indicating dramatic increases in firearm ownership among Black adults over the past 5 years,” the researchers concluded.