Rates of gun-related suicides in OR are higher than national average

Around 44,000 people died in a gun-related injury in the U.S. in 2024, according to a new report from Pew Research. Suicides make up a majority of those deaths at 62%. But in Oregon, that number is much higher, with 80% of all firearm deaths being a suicide. On top of that, previous reporting has also shown that some of the state’s most rural areas have the highest rates of gun-related suicides, especially for older men. Becca Valek is a research project coordinator at OHSU’s Gun Violence Prevention Center. Katie Lossi is an Associate Professor at OHSU’s department of medicine and a staff physician at VA Portland Health Care System. They both join us now to discuss these figures and what can be done to address them.   If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call or text 988 to reach the national suicide and crisis lifeline. Help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.