Examining the impact of minimum handgun purchase age and background check legislation on young adult firearm deaths in the United States, 1991-2020

• In Event: Exploring the role of contextual and legal factors influencing interpersonal gun violence

Abstract

The present study examines the independent and joint effects of state minimum purchasing age for handguns and background check legislation on the gun deaths of young adults aged 18 to 20. Negative binomial regressions with fixed effects for year and generalized estimating equations (GEE) for state are used to estimate the effects of state legislation on annual counts of firearm, nonfirearm, and total young adult suicides and homicides in all 50 U.S. states from 1991 to 2020. Minimum age laws decreased the incidence rate of firearm suicide among young adults, an effect that was amplified in states with permit to purchase laws; there was no effect on the nonfirearm or total suicide rate. Permit to purchase laws significantly decreased the young adult firearm suicide incidence rate by 39% (IRR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.51-0.74) and the overall suicide incidence rate by 14% (IRR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.75-0.99), with no effect on the nonfirearm suicide rate. Permit to purchase laws represent a more promising avenue for reducing young adult gun deaths than age-based restrictions.

Authors

• Emma Fridel, Florida State University

• Gregory M. Zimmerman, Northeastern University

• Shayna Arrigo, Florida State University