Unintentional firearms mortality disparities across states—USA, 2001–2021

In 2021 , over 12 000 lives were lost to unintentional firearms mortality between 2001 and 2021 .

Rates in some states are over 10 times those in other states.

Factors that create disparities are multifaceted and include rurality, poverty and firearms ownership.

The highest rates were in Southeastern states, followed by states in Northern Plains and Mountain West .

The highest rates clustered in Southeastern states, followed by states in the Northern Plains and Mountain West .

Crude rates in the states with the highest rates, clustered mostly in the Southeast , were about 10 times the rates in states with lowest rates.

The lowest rates were in the Northeast followed by scattered states in West and Midwest such as Washington , Utah and Michigan .

This study involved human participants.

The Institutional Review Board at University of Alabama at Birmingham reviewed and approved analyses of these de-identified and anonymised datasets, considering it not human subjects research’ The contents are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS , or the US Government .

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