Lethal Means Counseling, Distribution of Cable Locks, and Safe Firearm Storage Practices Among the Mississippi National Guard

A Factorial Randomized Controlled Trial, 2018–2020

Bibliographic Data

ID11026465
AuthorsMichael D Anestis (0000-0001-8738-8877, Michael D. Anestis is with the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center and the Department of Urban-Global Public Health, School of Public Health, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway. Craig J. Bryan and AnnaBelle O. Bryan are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus. Daniel W. Capron is with the School of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg.), Craig J Bryan (0000-0002-1582-4411, Michael D. Anestis is with the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center and the Department of Urban-Global Public Health, School of Public Health, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway. Craig J. Bryan and AnnaBelle O. Bryan are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus. Daniel W. Capron is with the School of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg.), Daniel W Capron (0000-0002-5066-4644, Michael D. Anestis is with the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center and the Department of Urban-Global Public Health, School of Public Health, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway. Craig J. Bryan and AnnaBelle O. Bryan are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus. Daniel W. Capron is with the School of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg.), Annabelle O Bryan (0000-0002-6192-4229, Michael D. Anestis is with the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center and the Department of Urban-Global Public Health, School of Public Health, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway. Craig J. Bryan and AnnaBelle O. Bryan are with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus. Daniel W. Capron is with the School of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg.)
Year2021
Volume111
Issue2
Pages309-317
Publication date2021-02-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2020.306019
PMID33351652
OpenAlexW3116809639
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited23

Objectives. To examine whether lethal means counseling and provision of cable locks prompt safe firearm storage relative to control among firearm-owning members of the Mississippi National Guard. Methods. This randomized controlled trial utilized a 2 × 2 factorial design (lethal means counseling vs control, provision of cable locks vs no cable locks). Follow-up assessments took place at 3 and 6 months after baseline. Data were collected (n = 232; 87.5% male; mean age = 35.01 years; 77.2% White) from February 2018 through July 2020. Results. Relative to control, lethal means counseling and provision of cable locks resulted in greater adoption of several safe storage methods over time. Lethal means counseling outperformed control (3 months: 55.0% vs 39.0%; odds ratio [OR] = 1.91). Cable locks outperformed control at 3 and 6 months on number of storage methods (1.41 vs 1.11; d = 0.29 and 1.34 vs 1.16; d = 0.15, respectively) and locking devices (59.8% vs 29.9%; OR = 3.49 and 58.4% vs 35.8%; OR = 2.52, respectively) Conclusions. Lethal means counseling and cable locks can result in sustained changes in firearm storage. Public Health Implications. The military may benefit from lethal means counseling, perhaps administering at point of entry. Trial Registration. Clinical Trials.gov identifier: NCT03375099

Guard (computer science) · Injury prevention · Medical emergency · Occupational safety and health · Poison control · Randomized controlled trial · Suicide prevention · Computer Science · Disaster Response and Management · Emergency Medicine · Gun Ownership and Violence Research · Medicine · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies · Surgery

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