By the Numbers: 15 Septemeber 2025
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The factor by which "(o)lder men are more likely to die by firearm suicide compared with older women," according to an article in JAMA Network Open -- Sex Differences in Trends of Firearm Suicide Among Older Adults, 2014 to 2023. "However," the article points out, "female gun ownership has surged in recent years, with nearly one-half of all new gun owners being women.
This cross-sectional study reveals an increasing trend of suicide deaths by firearm among older women. Although the firearm suicide rate and FS/S ratio among older men remain high, the trend among older women may have important long-term implications. The proportion of older adults in the US is projected to grow from 17.3% in 2022 to 21.6% by 2040, with women accounting for a larger share of this increase. Research has shown a steady decline in the FS/S ratio among women from 41.5% in 1991 to 35.3% in 2013. However, our analysis of data from 2014 to 2023 highlights a significant upward trend among older women, suggesting a narrowing sex gap in firearm suicide that aligns with changes in gun ownership demographics.
13x
The factor by which "(o)lder men are more likely to die by firearm suicide compared with older women," according to an article in JAMA Network Open -- Sex Differences in Trends of Firearm Suicide Among Older Adults, 2014 to 2023. "However," the article points out, "female gun ownership has surged in recent years, with nearly one-half of all new gun owners being women.
This cross-sectional study reveals an increasing trend of suicide deaths by firearm among older women. Although the firearm suicide rate and FS/S ratio among older men remain high, the trend among older women may have important long-term implications. The proportion of older adults in the US is projected to grow from 17.3% in 2022 to 21.6% by 2040, with women accounting for a larger share of this increase. Research has shown a steady decline in the FS/S ratio among women from 41.5% in 1991 to 35.3% in 2013. However, our analysis of data from 2014 to 2023 highlights a significant upward trend among older women, suggesting a narrowing sex gap in firearm suicide that aligns with changes in gun ownership demographics.