Understanding how risks and strengths affect firearm injury in adults
SAFER Study: Multilevel Risks and Resilience-Promotive Factors of Firearm Injury
This project looks at how exposure to violence, neighborhood stressors, and personal strengths relate to gun behaviors, substance use, and mental health among U.S. adults.
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-11410940 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You may be invited to take part in focus groups and regular surveys to help researchers learn how violence exposure and local stresses affect gun-related behavior and well-being. The team will run focus groups first to shape the questions and then follow about 1,000 adults across three yearly surveys asking about violence exposure, mental health, substance use, and firearm storage or carrying. Researchers will combine survey answers with neighborhood maps and local data to see how community conditions change risk and protective factors. The goal is to identify patterns that point to what makes some people more at risk and what supports could reduce harm.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older who live in the United States, especially those with recent exposure to violence or who own, carry, or are around firearms, are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People under 21, those living outside the U.S., or individuals whose health concerns are unrelated to violence or firearms are unlikely to gain direct benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could guide better prevention programs and supports that reduce firearm injuries by targeting stressors and strengthening protective factors.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has linked violence exposure, substance use, and mental distress to firearm risk, but long-term mixed-methods studies combining focus groups, surveys, and neighborhood data are less common.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hsieh, Hsing-Fang — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Hsieh, Hsing-Fang
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.