Firearm Safety Counseling for Gun Violence Prevention

Overseen By German Chavez, B.A.

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles

Disqualifiers: Non-DGSOM Class of 2027

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to improve how medical students learn to discuss firearm safety with patients. It will teach first-year students at UCLA's medical school about gun violence, suicide risk, and how to talk about firearm safety with patients. The goal is to determine if additional training, specifically through the Expanded Clinical Firearm Safety Counseling Training, helps students retain and apply this important information in real-life situations. Only students in the Class of 2027 at UCLA's medical school can participate in this study. As an unphased trial, this study provides students with a unique opportunity to enhance their communication skills and make a meaningful impact on patient safety.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

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

What prior data suggests that this firearm safety counseling training is safe for medical students?

A previous study found that training medical students in expanded firearm safety counseling effectively improved their counseling skills in practice scenarios. This training teaches students how to discuss gun safety with patients, which is crucial for preventing violence and injuries.

Participants in this educational study face no direct safety risk, as it focuses on learning and practicing communication skills rather than taking medication or undergoing medical procedures. The aim is to increase students' knowledge and confidence in discussing firearm safety, which can positively impact public health.

Overall, the training is well-received, with no negative effects reported. It involves classroom learning and role-playing with actors pretending to be patients. The goal is to better prepare future doctors to discuss gun safety in a clinical setting. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Expanded Clinical Firearm Safety Counseling Training because it offers a proactive approach to gun violence prevention that differs from existing methods focused primarily on legislation and law enforcement. This training empowers healthcare providers with specific skills to engage patients in conversations about firearm safety, which is not typically covered in standard medical education. By equipping clinicians with this knowledge, the program aims to reduce gun-related injuries and deaths through preventive counseling, potentially leading to a significant impact on public health.

What evidence suggests that this training is effective for improving firearm safety counseling?

Research has shown that training medical students in firearm safety counseling enhances their ability to discuss gun safety with patients. In this trial, participants will receive Expanded Clinical Firearm Safety Counseling Training. Studies have found that a structured approach, like the 5 A's (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange), significantly improves students' handling of firearm discussions in practice scenarios. These methods not only boost students' confidence but also help them retain information about preventing gun violence for longer periods. Training with real-life examples increases students' comfort in discussing gun violence, better preparing them for future conversations. Overall, these training techniques have shown promise in improving communication about firearm safety in medical settings. ^{1 5 6 7 8}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for members of the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) Class of 2027. It aims to assess and enhance their skills in firearm safety counseling.

Inclusion Criteria

Member of the DGSOM Class of 2027

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Training

Students receive a 1-hour firearm safety counseling training session, augmented with additional instruction on suicide risk assessment and small group breakout sessions.

1 day

1 session (in-person)

Simulated Patient Encounter

Approximately 6 months after the initial training, students participate in a simulated patient encounter to assess retention of knowledge and application of firearm safety counseling.

1 day

1 session (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for retention of knowledge and effectiveness of training through surveys conducted prior to training, immediately after training, and 6 months after training.

6 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Expanded Clinical Firearm Safety Counseling Training

Trial Overview The study tests an expanded clinical firearm safety counseling training program, which includes additional instruction on suicide risk assessment and practice sessions with standardized patients.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: DGSOM Class of 2027 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, Los Angeles

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,594

Recruited

10,430,000+

University of California, Davis

Collaborator

Trials

958

Recruited

4,816,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

A self-paced online curriculum was developed to address pediatric residents' lack of confidence in providing firearm safety guidance, which included video demonstrations and safe storage options.

The curriculum significantly improved residents' self-efficacy, confidence, and knowledge regarding firearm injury prevention counseling, indicating its effectiveness as a training tool.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pilot of an Asynchronous Web-Based Video Curriculum to Improve Firearm Safety Counseling by Pediatric Residents. Naughton, MA., Rajput, S., Hashikawa, AN., et al.[2021]

Only 16% of family practice residency programs in the U.S. provide formal training in firearm safety counseling, indicating a significant gap in education on this important public health issue.

Many residency directors perceive barriers to implementing firearm safety counseling, including a lack of trained personnel and educational resources, and less than 14% believe such counseling would effectively reduce firearm-related injuries or deaths.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Training in firearm safety counseling in family practice residency programs. Price, JH., Bedell, AW., Everett, SA., et al.[2022]

20% of parents surveyed reported having a firearm in their home, highlighting a significant exposure to guns among children attending urban pediatric clinics.

A large majority (82%) of parents expressed interest in receiving information on safe gun storage, indicating a strong receptivity to firearm injury prevention counseling from healthcare providers.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parents' attitudes toward firearm injury prevention counseling in urban pediatric clinics. Haught, K., Grossman, D., Connell, F.[2010]

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]

A significant gap exists between physicians' knowledge of firearm safety counseling (65% aware) and their actual practice of discussing it with patients (only 25% often engage in such conversations).

Participation in continuing medical education (CME) on gun safety is linked to increased likelihood of physicians providing firearm safety counseling, suggesting that enhancing CME opportunities could improve physician engagement in this critical area.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Continuing Medical Education and Firearm Violence Counseling. Damari, ND., Ahluwalia, KS., Viera, AJ., et al.[2019]

A six-lecture series on firearm safety significantly increased psychiatric residents' interest and confidence in firearm safety guidance, as shown by a pre- and post-lecture survey involving 27 participants.

The educational intervention effectively improved residents' understanding of risk assessment, safety guidance, and relevant legislation related to firearms, highlighting the need for such training in psychiatric education.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Using Longitudinal Curriculum to Improve Psychiatry Residents' Attitudes Regarding Firearm Anticipatory Guidance. Stillman, I., Ehrman, S., Amalfitano, A., et al.[2023]

A survey of 218 medical residents and fellows revealed significant barriers to discussing firearm safety with patients, including uncertainty about how to respond to patients' firearm access answers (72.1%) and lack of time (66.2%).

Over 90% of respondents expressed a desire for more training on firearm injury prevention, indicating that improved education could enhance clinicians' ability to assess risk and counsel patients effectively.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Talking about firearm injury prevention with patients: a survey of medical residents. Pallin, R., Teasdale, S., Agnoli, A., et al.[2022]

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]

In a 2015 survey of 3932 participants, 61% of firearm owners reported receiving formal firearm training, which is similar to estimates from 1994, indicating no significant change in training rates over two decades.

The most common training topics included safe handling, safe storage, and accident prevention, but only 15% of firearm owners received training on suicide prevention, highlighting a gap in critical safety education.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Formal firearm training among adults in the USA: results of a national survey. Rowhani-Rahbar, A., Lyons, VH., Simonetti, JA., et al.[2019]

The study found that gun ownership among families of pediatric patients decreased slightly from 9.4% to 7.0% after an educational intervention, but this change was not statistically significant.

While the intervention did not significantly improve overall gun storage practices, it did lead to a reduction in the number of families keeping guns loaded, from 1.6% to 0.5.%, indicating a potential positive impact on safety.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pediatric practice based evaluation of the Steps to Prevent Firearm Injury program. Oatis, PJ., Fenn Buderer, NM., Cummings, P., et al.[2019]

Citations

1. nejm.org nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra2306867

Clinical Approaches to the Prevention of Firearm-Related ... Firearms are also frequently used to intimidate or exert coercive control, with approximately 40% of victims of intimate partner violence ...

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891524525003104

The Impact of Firearm Safety Training on Pediatric ... From 2013 to 2022, firearm-related deaths among children and teens ages 1–17 years old increased by 106% (Center for Disease Control and ...

3. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-medical-student-knowledge-of-firearm-violence-epidemiology-7-2023-adfbf

Firearm Safety Counseling for Gun Violence Prevention Students will participate in a survey to ascertain their knowledge of firearm violence and their attitudes about physician counseling about firearm safety, ...

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9152792/

The 5 A's of firearm safety counseling: Validating a clinical ... The 5 A's is an effective tool to improve firearm counseling in a simulation setting. Keywords: Firearm, Violence prevention, Injury prevention, ...

5. journals.lww.com journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/fulltext/2022/10000/development_and_implementation_of_a_novel.21.aspx

Development and Implementation of a Novel Case-Based ... The case-based training improved the trainees' reported level of comfort discussing the topic of gun violence prevention with patients from a median of 5 before ...

6. cdph.ca.gov cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DCDIC/SACB/CDPH%20Document%20Library/Violence%20Prevention%20Initiative/VPI_Roadmap_Report_Aug2025.pdf

Local Strategies to Reduce and Prevent Firearm Violence Continuing Education on lethal means safety counseling and other clinical tools for firearm violence prevention (such as those offered through the ...

7. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0039606025005069

Attitudes and practices surrounding primary care firearm ... In 2022, there were more than 48,000 firearm-related deaths according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Furthermore, firearm violence affects ...

8. aannet.org aannet.org/page/firearm-safety-violence-prevention

Position Statement: Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention Firearm safety and violence prevention training is a step in the right direction to reduce children's access to firearms in their own homes, leading to a ...