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Firearms, the most lethal method of suicide, are used in more than half the suicides in the U.S. Legal and ethical controversies abound regarding the role of clinicians in discussing firearm safety with patients. To learn about efficacy of such discussions, investigators used convenience methods (social media, posters) to recruit 96 college students with lifetime suicidal ideation (mean age, 20; 44% men; 82% white). Participants owned or had access to a firearm or desired or intended to buy one.
In the group, 68% had past-year suicidal desires, and 71% had some degree of current suicidal intent; the mean depression-symptom score was of mild-moderate severity. Participants first engaged in the initial five stages of a suicide prevention proto…