Factors associated with handgun carriage among U.S. adolescents, 2021–2022

Authors

• Marisa Booty, University of KentuckyFollow
• Maggie K. Richardson, University of KentuckyFollow
• Dylan B. Jackson, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Delvon T. Mattingly, University of KentuckyFollow

Abstract

Objective: The rise in adolescent handgun carriage over the past decade represents a significant public health concern. Using nationally representative data, this study examines risk factors associated with handgun carriage among U.S. adolescents.

Methods: We used data on adolescents aged 12–17 years from the 2021 and 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health ( n = 20,869), with past-year handgun carriage defined as a binary variable. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to determine factors associated with handgun carriage across adolescent age groups (12–13 years, 14–15 years, 16–17 years).

Results: The average prevalence of adolescent past-year handgun carriage was 4.0%. Across age groups, past-year violence and selling illicit drugs were associated with handgun carriage. There was variation among age groups between substance use and handgun carriage; handgun carriage was associated with alcohol use in 12–13 year-olds (OR: 4.22, 95% CI: 1.50,11.88), and cannabis (OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.06,3.93) and illicit drug use (OR: 3.28, 95% CI: 1.11,9.68) in 14–15 year-olds. Suicidality was only associated with handgun carriage for ages 12–13 years (OR: 2.49, 95% CI: 1.29,4.79).

Conclusions: Understanding risk factors of handgun carriage among different stages of adolescence can enhance preventive efforts aimed at reducing handgun carriage.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2026

Notes/Citation Information

2211-3355/© 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2026.103426

Funding Information

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (R36DA061317). Dr. Mattingly was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the NIH (R01CA251478-05S1).

Repository Citation

Booty, Marisa; Richardson, Maggie K.; Jackson, Dylan B.; and Mattingly, Delvon T., "Factors associated with handgun carriage among U.S. adolescents, 2021–2022" (2026). Sociology Faculty Publications. 30.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/sociology_facpub/30