Store Safely: Firearm safety for rural families
RFA-CE-23-006, Store Safely: Firearm injury prevention for rural families
An online, community-designed program to help rural families who own guns learn and use safer firearm storage to protect children and reduce suicide risk.
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-11179098 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would use a short online program created with rural families that includes brief lessons, a home safety checklist, and practical tips for locks, safes, and separating ammunition. The program is designed to fit rural culture and access limitations and was developed through a university-community partnership. In an earlier pilot of 43 families most participants completed the materials and many reported making storage changes. This grant expands that work to reach more rural families and measure whether the program leads to lasting safer storage practices.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are parents or caregivers in rural U.S. households that own firearms and have children or teens, who are willing to try an online safety program.
Not a fit: Households that do not own firearms, cannot access the internet, or are unwilling or unable to change storage practices are unlikely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help more rural parents secure their firearms and lower the chance of youth suicide or accidental firearm harm.
How similar studies have performed: A small pilot with 43 rural families showed high engagement and that many families reported making safer storage changes, but larger trials are still needed.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ewell Foster, Cynthia (Cindy) — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Ewell Foster, Cynthia (Cindy)
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.