Safety Program for Gunshot Wound Prevention

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Christina Magness

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

Trial Summary

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 data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Store Safely for gunshot wound prevention?

Research shows that community education campaigns and counseling strategies, like the 5 A's of Firearm Safety Counseling, can improve safe firearm storage practices and enhance the quality of firearm safety discussions, which are crucial for preventing gun-related injuries. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the Safety Program for Gunshot Wound Prevention safe for humans?

The research on safe firearm storage programs, like Safety Check and community campaigns, suggests they are safe for humans as they focus on education and behavior change to prevent injuries. ^{1 3 5 6 7}

How does the 'Store Safely' treatment for gunshot wound prevention differ from other treatments?

The 'Store Safely' treatment is unique because it focuses on preventing gunshot wounds by promoting safe firearm storage practices, such as distributing gun safes and trigger locks, rather than treating injuries after they occur. This approach is preventative, aiming to reduce unauthorized access to firearms, especially by children, which is different from traditional medical treatments that address injuries post-incident. ^{3 4 8 9 10}

What is the purpose of this trial?

The researchers are testing a firearm safety prevention strategy tailored for families with children who reside in a rural area. Researchers hypothesize that the intervention will lead to improvements in household firearm storage.

Research Team

Cynthia Ewell Foster, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

University of Michigan

Eligibility Criteria

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

I cannot give consent in English.

No child in the home

Timeline

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

Treatment Details

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.

Participant Groups

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+

Findings from Research

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]

References

1. United States 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. [2023]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Patient Characteristics and Perspectives of Firearm Safety Discussions in the Emergency Department. [2021]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of a community-based handgun safe-storage campaign. [2018]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

One Step Closer to Safer: Counseling Outcomes from American Academy of Pediatrics Firearm Safe Storage Education Training. [2023]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adapting Safety Check as a Universal Suicide Prevention Strategy in Pediatric Primary Care. [2022]

6. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Motivating Behavior Change in Parents for Suicide Prevention in the Midwest, USA. [2022]

7. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parents' Perspectives on Safe Storage of Firearms. [2021]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Firearm Practices, Perceptions of Safety, and Opinions on Injury Prevention Strategies Among California Adults. [2022]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Community based program to improve firearm storage practices in rural Alaska. [2022]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Storage Practices, Devices, and Presence of Children Among Owners of Firearms: Informing Pediatric Firearm Safety. [2023]