How alcohol use and access to firearms relate to suicide risk
Official title: Determining the links between alcohol use, firearm access and suicide risk
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11159733 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how drinking and having access to guns are linked with suicidal thoughts and behaviors, especially among people who own or carry firearms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $2,312,046 |
| NIH project number | 4RF1MH137443-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11159733 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who own, store, or regularly carry firearms and those who drink heavily or have recent suicidal thoughts are the most likely candidates to participate.
✕Less likely to help
People with no history of alcohol use problems, no access to firearms, and no suicidal thoughts are unlikely to directly benefit from the findings.
What this research studies
If you take part, researchers may ask you to complete surveys about your drinking, gun ownership or carrying, and any suicidal thoughts or past attempts. They will combine new survey responses with existing data and may conduct interviews to better understand timing and intensity of alcohol use around suicidal thoughts. The team focuses on people who have thought about firearm suicide or who regularly handle or carry guns to learn what patterns raise risk. Results will be used to identify moments and behaviors where safety planning or other prevention steps might help.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to specific alcohol- and firearm-related risks that prevention programs and clinicians could target to reduce firearm suicides.
How similar studies have gone: Past studies have separately linked alcohol use and gun access to suicide, but combining these factors in a multi-method approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ilgen, Mark a. — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Ilgen, Mark a.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.