People who are female, younger, more educated and have reported suicidal ideation are more likely to go to therapy or use psychiatric medications, according to Rutgers Health researchers.
Their study, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, examined the use of mental health resources among those with firearm access and which demographics used or didn't use resources.
"Female firearm owners, white individuals, people with higher education and those who have experienced suicidal thoughts are more likely to be in therapy or be prescribed psychiatric medication," said lead author Allie Bond, an assistant professor in the Department of Urban-Global Public Health at the Rutgers School of Public Health.
Firearms are the most common method of suicide, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Suicide prevention often includes reaching out to mental health services and resources for treatment. Past research has shown that often, those who die by firearm suicide don't get treatment and don't reach out for services.
Because firearm owners and those with access are at risk of firearm suicide, it is important to look at the demographics that do and don't utilize care and resources. The study team states that this will allow for an understanding of who is and is not receiving treatment, and interventions can then be targeted at these underserved demographics and communities.
The researchers used a nationally representative sample of people, specifically firearm owners, to determine what demographics are more likely to access and utilize mental health resources. They reviewed a sample of 3,018 adults who own or have access to a firearm to determine the relationship between demographics and participation in mental health treatment, along with using psychiatric medications. Researchers looked at a range of demographics, including sex, race, education, income and employment status.
They found that firearm owners who are in therapy are more likely to be female, younger, have received a higher education and have reported thoughts of suicide in their lifetime. Along with therapy, those who are female, white, younger, have received a higher education, reported thoughts of suicide and are unemployed are in demographics associated with the use of psychiatric medications.
The researchers said the results highlight that while certain demographics are more likely to utilize mental health resources and medications, those who are still at great risk of harm from firearms may not. For example, male firearm owners may feel discouraged from receiving care. Members of minority groups may not have access to necessary care as a result of barriers or stigma about seeking health care.
To address these concerns, mental health care must be taken beyond the confines of a health care facility and into places in the community, along with the promotion of safe storage of firearms, the researchers said.
The researchers also noted the limitations for the scope of this study. They were unable to look at the differences among symptoms and use of substances between those who do and don't own firearms.
They said future studies should look deeper into race and ethnic subgroups and firearm access, giving further insight into the differences in treatment seeking and usage between those groups. This research also does not look at firearm ownership, but rather at firearm access, which should be accounted for when pursuing further research. The researchers added that the rates of lifetime treatment among firearm owners should be examined, too.
Study co-authors include faculty and researchers from the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center and Department of Urban-Global Public Health.
