Keeping young children safe from unintentional gun injuries
RFA-CE-23-005, Firearm safety and injury prevention during early childhood: A parent engagement approach
This project develops and pilots parent-focused messages and community approaches to help reduce unintentional firearm injuries among children ages 0 to 5.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11085905 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are a parent or caregiver of a child aged 0–5, the team will start by talking with parents and safety experts in focus groups and interviews to learn how families think about guns and safety. They will run a national survey to find where parents' beliefs differ from expert recommendations and to identify common barriers to safe storage and conversations with others. Using what they learn, they will create precise, easy-to-use messages and work with trusted community messengers to deliver them. Finally, they will pilot those messages and approaches in communities to see how they work in real life.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are parents or primary caregivers of children aged 0–5, including those who live in homes with firearms or who want guidance on safe storage and communication.
Not a fit: People without children under five, or those not involved in caregiving or firearm-related decisions, are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could create clearer, culturally appropriate safety messages and community programs that help families keep young children safer around firearms.
How similar studies have performed: Previous firearm-safety efforts have shown mixed results, and combining parent input, precision messaging, and trusted messengers for early childhood is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Miller, Alison L — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Miller, Alison L
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.