Safety Program for Gunshot Wound Prevention

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Elizabeth Gonzalez, MPH

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Michigan

Disqualifiers: No firearm, No child, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

600 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a firearm safety strategy for families with children in rural areas, focusing on improving firearm storage at home. The study compares a group receiving the "Store Safely" intervention with a waitlist control group that initially receives only general safety information. Families with children under 18, living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and owning a firearm may be suitable participants. Participants need access to a computer or mobile device with internet to complete surveys. As an unphased trial, this study allows families to contribute to important safety research that could benefit their community.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What prior data suggests that this firearm safety prevention strategy is safe for families with children?

Research has shown that safe gun storage can greatly reduce gun-related injuries and deaths. Experts and public health advocates strongly support this practice. Secure firearm storage prevents accidental shootings, suicides, and thefts, protecting both children and adults.

Although specific data on the "Store Safely" program is limited, the concept of safe gun storage is widely supported for its safety benefits. Many public health organizations provide resources and guidelines on how to store guns safely. While specific safety data for "Store Safely" is lacking, the principles it follows are well-regarded for improving safety and preventing harm. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the "Store Safely" program because it aims to prevent gunshot wounds using a community-based approach that emphasizes safe storage practices. Unlike traditional methods that primarily focus on medical treatment after an injury occurs, this intervention seeks to prevent injuries by encouraging responsible firearm storage. The program is unique because it combines educational resources with community support, providing not just information but also direct access to safe storage resources and crisis support. This proactive strategy has the potential to reduce gun-related incidents by addressing the root cause, rather than just the aftermath.

What evidence suggests that the Store Safely intervention is effective for improving household firearm storage?

Research has shown that safe firearm storage can reduce gun-related injuries and deaths. One study found that distributing safe storage devices and providing instruction improved storage habits. Another study highlighted that firearm injuries are a leading cause of death among young people, and proper gun storage can help prevent these tragedies. Programs like Project Safe Guard have successfully encouraged secure firearm storage in certain communities. In this trial, the Store Safely program is being tested as an intervention to positively influence how families store guns, making homes safer. Participants in the waitlist control group will not receive the intervention during the clinical trial but will have access to it afterward. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Cynthia Ewell Foster, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

University of Michigan

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for families with at least one child under 18, living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, who own firearms and have the means to complete surveys online. Participants must speak English and not have been part of a similar study in 2020.

Inclusion Criteria

Access to a computer/mobile device and wifi

Have sufficient information about household storage to complete surveys

Own at least one firearm

Exclusion Criteria

Lack of firearm in the home

No child in the home

I cannot give consent in English.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

The Store Safely arm receives the Store Safely intervention and usual community-based care

6 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after the intervention

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Store Safely

Trial Overview

The 'Store Safely' program aims to improve how families in rural areas keep their firearms stored. The goal is to prevent injuries by ensuring guns are kept securely away from children.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Store Safely Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The Store Safely arm (consisting of a community sample) will receive the Store Safely intervention, usual community-based care, and 988 suicide and crisis lifeline number and a publicly available safe storage information resource numbers.

Group II: Waitlist control Active Control 1 Intervention

The waitlist control group (consisting of a community sample) will not receive the intervention during the clinical trial but will be offered 988 suicide and crisis lifeline number and a publicly available safe storage information resource numbers. Following the clinical trial they will have access to the Store Safely intervention.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Michigan

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,891

Recruited

6,458,000+

Marquette County Health Department

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

600+

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Collaborator

Trials

902

Recruited

25,020,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The 5 A's of Firearm Safety Counseling significantly improved the comfort level and quality of counseling provided by clinical trainees on firearm injury prevention, with only 4% feeling uncomfortable after training compared to over 60% before.

The study involved 29 participants in a simulation-based randomized controlled trial, showing that specific training on the 5 A's led to a notable enhancement in the counseling quality compared to didactic education alone, indicating its potential as an effective tool for clinicians.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The 5 A's of firearm safety counseling: Validating a clinical counseling methodology for firearms in a simulation-based randomized controlled trial. Hoops, K., McCourt, A., Crifasi, CK.[2023]

After participating in the Safer training program, pediatric clinicians reported a significant increase in their confidence (self-efficacy) in counseling about firearm safe storage, with scores improving from a median of 50 to 80 (P < .001).

The frequency of counseling on firearm safety also increased significantly, with clinicians reporting a median frequency of 50 sessions post-training compared to 10 sessions at baseline (P < .001), indicating the training's effectiveness in promoting safer firearm storage practices.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

One Step Closer to Safer: Counseling Outcomes from American Academy of Pediatrics Firearm Safe Storage Education Training. Gastineau, KAB., Bell, R., Hanes, A., et al.[2023]

Citations

1.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11409402/

Evaluation of a Firearm Safe Storage Device Distribution ...

Attendees of the Break the Cycle of Violence Summit could choose from three types of safe storage devices to provide to their patients within ...

2.

ysph.yale.edu

ysph.yale.edu/research/interdepartmental-foci/firearm-injury-prevention/data-and-solution/

Data & The Solutions - Yale School of Public Health

This approach must be collaborative and involve both gun owners and non-owners to achieve change. Some firearm injury prevention approaches already backed by ...

3.

cdc.gov

cdc.gov/firearm-violence/prevention/index.html

Preventing Firearm Injury and Death

Resources are available to help firearm owners consider the best options for securely storing firearms. How can firearm violence and suicide be ...

4.

injepijournal.biomedcentral.com

injepijournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40621-022-00399-1

An intervention to improve safe firearm storage for ...

Firearm injuries are the second leading cause of death in American youth aged 15 to 24, and over half of these deaths are suicides.

5.

academic.oup.com

academic.oup.com/milmed/article/189/Supplement_3/510/7735924

Project Safe Guard: Evaluating a Lethal Means Safety ...

ABSTRACTIntroduction. The purpose of this paper is to examine a scalable secure firearm storage intervention in the U.S. National Guard (NG) ...

6.

publichealth.jhu.edu

publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/how-safe-and-secure-gun-storage-reduces-injury-saves-lives

How safe and secure gun storage reduces injury, saves lives

Safely and securely storing firearms can reduce gun injuries and deaths, and is a practice supported by researchers, ...

7.

everytownresearch.org

everytownresearch.org/solutions/responsible-gun-storage/

Secure Gun Storage

Storing firearms securely protects children and adults by preventing unintentional shootings, gun suicides, and gun theft. How it Works. Secure storage prevents ...

8.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12164122/

Firearm safe storage practices among firearm owners in ...

Safe firearm storage may reduce suicide and unintentional firearm injuries. However, little is known about safe storage practices in rural ...

9.

pa.gov

pa.gov/agencies/pccd/newsroom/shapiro-davis-administration-highlights-importance-of-safely-storing-firearms.html

Shapiro-Davis Administration Highlights Importance of ...

Last year, Governor Shapiro re-established Pennsylvania's Office of Gun Violence Prevention, building on the Shapiro-Davis 2024-25 ...