Oregon Among States with Highest Firearm Suicide Rates for Seniors

By Isobel Charle, Public News Service

Adults aged 70 and older have the highest rate of firearm suicide of any age group, according to new data from The Trace spanning 15 years.

The study finds over 63,000 older Americans died by gun suicide from 2009 to 2023. Oregon has one of the country’s highest rates of firearm suicide, with nearly 1,400 such deaths.

Data journalist with The Trace and the Gun Violence Data Hub Aaron Mendelson said this trend is driven partly by the nation’s growing population of older adults, which has nearly doubled in 20 years.

He warned that without intervention, the problem will continue to worsen.

“So we thought,” said Mendelson, “looking at the data and just starting from that point would be a good way to approach this subject that is often really challenging to discuss, even though it happens far more than I think many people realize.”

The data shows a sharp gender and racial disparity, with the highest gun suicide rates among White men over 70. Mendelson added that the rates are much higher in rural communities, which is true in Oregon as well.

If you are in crisis or know someone who is, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

Mendelson attributed the high rates of suicide among older White men in rural areas to several factors, including the greater mental health stigma faced by their generation.

“Factors like severe physical illness, pain, financial pressures, isolation, death of a spouse, a lack of mental health care, and the availability of firearms,” said Mendelson, “these are all things that play a role.”

There are a number of programs that Mendelson said could help. Oregon is part of the Gun Shop Project, a collaboration between the state, various organizations, and gun shops to raise awareness about the risks of firearm suicide.

Other states have implemented Donna’s Law, which allows people to put themselves on a list making them temporarily unable to buy firearms.

Mendelson added that the most important thing is to talk about it.

“For the many tens, hundreds, or thousands of folks who have had their lives touched by this issue, they’re not alone,” said Mendelson. “If we don’t identify something as a problem, we can’t begin to fix it.”