MONDAY, July 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Family members are at risk of being killed in homes with guns in the United States, a new study suggests.

For each 10% jump in home ownership of guns, the risk of someone in the household being killed rises by 13%. The risk of a nonfamily member getting murdered is increased only 2% with gun ownership, researchers found.

"This study suggests that some of the risks associated with gun ownership are fairly localized in the home," said lead researcher Aaron Kivisto. He's an associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of Indianapolis.

"Considered alongside the robust literature showing an association between gun ownership and suicide, however, these findings further suggest that gun ownership is associated with mortality and that the most likely victim is someone in the home," Kivisto said.

The risk of homicide goes up for both males and females in homes with guns, but women are more at risk, he said. Only about 1 in 4 murder victims is a woman, but women account for about 3 out of 4 victims of intimate partner homicide, Kivisto added.

Dr. Megan Ranney is an associate professor of emergency medicine at Brown University. She was not part of the study.

"This study reinforces for women, in particular, a partner's access to a firearm puts her at risk," said Ranney, who is also chief research officer of the American Foundation for Firearm Injury Reduction in Medicine.

Kivisto noted that the "narrative about gun ownership and personal protection" is a common rationale for gun ownership. But it tends to ignore the risks associated with owning a firearm, including the risks to others in the home, he said.

"Gun owners should weigh these perceived benefits and risks, and engage in safe storage and other practices to reduce the risk of a domestic incident becoming fatal," he added.

However, Kivisto cautioned that this study shows an association between guns in the home and increased rates of murders of family members. It doesn't prove a causal relationship.