New UCLA Study Finds Access to Firearms for Californians Ages 15–24 Associated with Increased Suicide Risk

Fears of gun violence and access to firearms showed troubling connections to suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts among Californians ages 15–24, say the authors of a new study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

Using data from the 2021 and 2022 California Health Interview Survey, or CHIS, the researchers found that youth who expressed worries about being a victim of gun violence were nearly twice as likely to report suicidal thoughts in their lifetime compared to those who didn’t express those concerns.