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Unintentional Nonhunting Firearm Deaths in Sweden, 1983–2012

Junuzovic, Mensura LU ; Sjöberg, Ameli and Eriksson, Anders (2016) In Journal of Forensic Sciences 61(4). p.966-971
Abstract

We examined the association between unintentional nonhunting firearm deaths and changes in firearm legislation in Sweden. There were 43 fatalities during the study time frame 1983–2012, representing 46% of all unintentional firearm deaths during the same period. The victims were predominantly young males (mean age 25 years). Slightly more than half of the deaths were caused by another person and were inflicted at close range. The main cause of the incidents was human error. The majority of the involved firearms were legal; however, most victims killed with illegal firearms were under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs at the time. The death rate decreased significantly following the introduction of the hunter's examination in 1985.... (More)

We examined the association between unintentional nonhunting firearm deaths and changes in firearm legislation in Sweden. There were 43 fatalities during the study time frame 1983–2012, representing 46% of all unintentional firearm deaths during the same period. The victims were predominantly young males (mean age 25 years). Slightly more than half of the deaths were caused by another person and were inflicted at close range. The main cause of the incidents was human error. The majority of the involved firearms were legal; however, most victims killed with illegal firearms were under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs at the time. The death rate decreased significantly following the introduction of the hunter's examination in 1985. Education and training associated with the hunter's examination was at least partially responsible for the decline in fatalities after 1985. Future prevention should target the availability of illegal firearms.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
accidents, deaths, firearms, forensic science, legislation, prevention
in
Journal of Forensic Sciences
volume
61
issue
4
pages
6 pages
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • pmid:27364274
  • wos:000379425800011
  • scopus:85028258245
ISSN
0022-1198
DOI
10.1111/1556-4029.13098
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
18acde5a-5bd0-4fb4-8023-70900abd8c28
date added to LUP
2017-01-23 14:31:37
date last changed
2022-03-01 18:58:41
@article{18acde5a-5bd0-4fb4-8023-70900abd8c28,
  abstract     = {{<p>We examined the association between unintentional nonhunting firearm deaths and changes in firearm legislation in Sweden. There were 43 fatalities during the study time frame 1983–2012, representing 46% of all unintentional firearm deaths during the same period. The victims were predominantly young males (mean age 25 years). Slightly more than half of the deaths were caused by another person and were inflicted at close range. The main cause of the incidents was human error. The majority of the involved firearms were legal; however, most victims killed with illegal firearms were under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs at the time. The death rate decreased significantly following the introduction of the hunter's examination in 1985. Education and training associated with the hunter's examination was at least partially responsible for the decline in fatalities after 1985. Future prevention should target the availability of illegal firearms.</p>}},
  author       = {{Junuzovic, Mensura and Sjöberg, Ameli and Eriksson, Anders}},
  issn         = {{0022-1198}},
  keywords     = {{accidents; deaths; firearms; forensic science; legislation; prevention}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{966--971}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Journal of Forensic Sciences}},
  title        = {{Unintentional Nonhunting Firearm Deaths in Sweden, 1983–2012}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.13098}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/1556-4029.13098}},
  volume       = {{61}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}