2 - (SYM 118) Consulting with Diverse Stakeholders to Engage Firearm Owners in Developing and Disseminating Interventions to Prevent Firearm Suicide

Firearm owners are diverse and subgroups of Americans are more likely to own firearms and are also at higher risk of firearm suicide. For example, US veterans have higher rates of firearm ownership, as well as firearm suicide, than civilians. Additionally, rates of firearm ownership and firearm suicide increased for Black Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Secure firearm storage can mitigate suicide risk and lethal means safety (LMS) counseling is an evidence-based intervention in which owners are encouraged to limit access to firearms during periods of higher risk. Firearm owners can be reluctant to engage in these conversations, highlighting the importance of consulting with a diverse group of firearm owners and other relevant stakeholders to develop and disseminate effective LMS interventions.

            This presentation will review three ongoing team efforts to engage diverse stakeholders in the development and dissemination of LMS interventions. First, we are consulting with US veterans at risk for suicide and clinicians to develop an intervention that provides financial and social incentives to encourage secure firearm storage following LMS counseling. Second, we are interviewing Black Americans who purchased firearms during the COVID-19 pandemic to understand reasons for purchasing, storage practices, and perspectives on LMS counseling to inform intervention development. Third, we are working with county-level suicide prevention coalitions and local firearm experts to develop and disseminate a community-based workshop on firearm safety for suicide prevention in New York State.

            Several common themes have emerged across these efforts, including: (1) willingness of many firearm owners and stakeholders (e.g., trainers, gun shop owners) to engage in voluntary education and counseling efforts related to suicide prevention, with less willingness to discuss involuntary or legislative limits on firearm ownership or access; (2) safety and personal protection as common concerns among firearm owners, with other concerns differing across subgroups (e.g., relevance of professional firearms expertise for veterans, community violence for Black Americans, and use of firearms for hunting/sport for rural communities New York); and (3) the need for LMS interventions tailored to subgroups and delivered by trusted sources, especially other community members and those with firearms expertise. These efforts highlight promising strategies to increase the relevance and adoption of LMS interventions across diverse groups of firearm owners.