Improving Firearm Storage in Alaska Native Villages

NCT00643812 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 05-7504-E/G 03
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 266
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Rates of suicide among young Alaska Native males are over ten-fold higher than among a similar age cohort in the rest of the United States. A high proportion of these deaths are associated with firearms. Firearms are an important part of the subsistence lifestyle of this population, however restriction of access to guns by youth may be a promising strategy to reduce the risk of suicides in this population. Previous research conducted in the first phase of this project has demonstrated that about 75% of homes in rural southwest Alaskan villages have guns, and only about 15% of these guns are locked; 6% are loaded. The aims of this specific phase of the study to execute a randomized trial of an intervention to improve firearm storage practices among residents of selected villages. Our hypothesis is that households receiving training and equipment to store firearms in gun lockers will be more likely to store their guns locked at 12 months, compared to households not receiving the intervention.

Conditions

Suicide; Suicide, Attempted; Wounds and Injuries

Keywords

Firearm storage; Suicide; Unintentional injury; Alaska Native; Suicide Attempt

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Household firearm arm storage status: 1. Any unlocked guns in home; 2. Any loaded guns in home; 3. Any unlocked ammunition

  12 and 18 months after installation of the gun safe

Study Arms (2)

1

EXPERIMENTAL

The "Early" intervention arm received a gun locker at baseline

Other: Installation of gun locker in household

2

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Households in this arm received a gun locker at 12 months following the baseline survey

Other: Installation of gun locker in household

Interventions

Installation of gun locker in household OTHER

Households were randomized to 'early' and 'late' arms. Each household received a gun locker, which was installed in the household. Early arm received gun lockers at baseline.

Also known as: Gun safes, Gun cabinets

1

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 21 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Households in six villages in Western Alaska that owned a gun, did not own a gun locker, adult age 21 or over

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Washington: lead
• Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center

Seattle, Washington, 98104, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Grossman DC, Stafford HA, Koepsell TD, Hill R, Retzer KD, Jones W. Improving firearm storage in Alaska native villages: a randomized trial of household gun cabinets. Am J Public Health. 2012 May;102 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S291-7. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300421. Epub 2012 Mar 8.

  PMID: 22401514 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Suicide; Suicide, Attempted; Wounds and Injuries; Accidental Injuries

Interventions

Family Characteristics

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Self-Injurious Behavior; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Demography; Population Characteristics; Socioeconomic Factors; Epidemiologic Measurements; Public Health; Environment and Public Health

Study Officials

• David C GRossman, MD, MPH

  University of Washington

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 20, 2008
• First Posted: March 26, 2008
• Study Start: November 1, 2004
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2007
• Study Completion: December 1, 2007
• Last Updated: March 26, 2008

Record last verified: 2008-03

Locations

US (1)