Gun Deaths Higher Among Urban Youth than Adults

Firearm homicide rates among 10- to 19-year-olds exceeded the rate for all ages combined in many metropolitan areas during 2006-2007, according to the CDC.

  • by Cardiology Editor, MedPage Today

Firearm homicide rates among 10- to 19-year-olds exceeded the combined rate for all ages in many metropolitan areas during 2006-2007, according to the CDC.

Interestingly, youth suicides from firearms were lower than for all ages combined during the same period, according to the May 13 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Compared with the national rate of 4.2 per 100,000 persons per year, firearm homicide rates for the 50 largest metropolitan statistical areas averaged 5.2 overall; the highest rates being in the central cities. In all, 66% of these areas had rates exceeding the national rate.

The youth firearm homicide rate was 6.8 for the 50 largest metropolitan areas combined, and exceeded the all-ages rate in 80% of metropolitan areas (33 of 41 areas with reportable youth firearm homicide statistics).

The 50 largest metropolitan areas collectively had an annual all-ages firearm suicide rate of 5.0 per 100,000 persons ages 10 years or older, and 52% of these areas (26 of 50) had rates lower than the national rate of 6.5.

Researchers used comprehensive vital statistics data from the National Vital Statistics System for 2006–2007 (the most recent available) to identify firearm homicides and firearm suicides among U.S. residents.

The report looked at firearm homicide and suicide rates in 50 metropolitan statistical areas, which are defined by as "a core area containing a substantial population nucleus, together with adjacent communities."

Examples of metropolitan areas are "New York; northern New Jersey; Long Island" and "Los Angeles; Long Beach; Santa Ana." The 62 central cities such as New York, Newark, N.J., and Chicago referred to in the report generally comprise the core areas.

Central cities frequently had firearm homicide rates at least twice as high as those for their metropolitan areas, but often had firearm suicide rates below those of their metropolitan areas.

Youth firearm suicide rates were comparatively low, with a composite rate of 1.3 for the 50 largest metropolitan areas and an identical composite rate of 1.3 for their central cities. Males accounted for more than 87% of firearm suicides (ages 10 years or greater) nationally and for all metropolitan areas collectively.

The findings on suicide are consistent with previous findings for the U.S. showing that "overall suicide rates generally decrease with increasing population density; this has been attributed largely to decreasing firearm suicide rates with increasing urbanization," the reported stated.

The CDC suggested that national and state prevention programs directed at reducing firearm violence should focus on youths, particularly in central cities.

Suicides and homicides by guns were the fourth and fifth leading causes of death in the U.S. during 2006-2007, together accounting for approximately 30,000 fatalities each year.

Notable geographic patterns in the report include higher rates of firearm homicides of all ages in the Midwest and South, compared with the Northeast and West. All-ages suicide rates were generally higher in the South than in the other three geographic regions.

On May 9, the Florida state legislature passed a bill that would make it illegal for pediatricians and other physicians to ask patients or their parents whether they have guns in their home. That battle is shaping up as one between the Second Amendment rights of gun owners and First Amendment rights of physicians.