A study published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal analyzed more than 6,400 firearm-related incidents in Ontario from 2002 to 2016.
Two-thirds of the cases involved self-harm by men over the age of 45, across all income levels, and living mainly in more remote parts of the province; of those cases, 92 per cent were fatal.
Young men in cities and predominantly lower-income were more likely to be involved in assaults.
Men in rural communities have long been identified by researchers as a high-risk demographic for suicide – a pattern that experts worry that the current pandemic, with its economic and social tolls, may only exacerbate.
Men, in general, are less likely than women to seek help for mental-health problems, including therapy.
In rural communities, higher gun ownership also means greater access to lethal means, which is a significant risk factor for suicide.
