Older adults in rural areas of the Mountain West are at the highest risk for suicide using a firearm.
This trend is particularly concerning among males over the age of 70 according to a study conducted by The Trace, a newsroom that investigates gun violence.
Aaron Mendelson, the news developer for The Trace’s Gun Violence Data Hub, said data compiled from the CDC shows gun suicide rates are the highest for white men.
“It’s a rate more than triple that of Black and Latino men of the same age. And 19 times higher than the rate of women 70 and older.”
Reasons range from terminal illnesses to financial worries. The availability of firearms is also a factor. But Mendelson said the common thread for older men is the stigma associated with reaching out for help with mental health.
Donna’s Law is one option for some states are using as a model to address the issue of gun suicide among older adults. Utah and Colorado have passed versions of the law which allow people to voluntarily place themselves on a no-sell list to help prevent them from impulsively purchasing a firearm.
If you or a loved one needs help. You can call 988, the national Suicide Prevention Hotline.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Nevada Public Radio, Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Northern Colorado, KANW in New Mexico, Colorado Public Radio, KJZZ in Arizona and NPR, with additional support from affiliate newsrooms across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Eric and Wendy Schmidt.
