Hospital program using virtual reality to prevent firearm violence in injured youth
A Hospital-based Intervention for Youth Injured Through Violence
This project will test whether a short virtual reality program called Elevate can help prevent firearm-related violence, reinjury, and hospital return among English-speaking teens aged 13–17 treated at VCU.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 360 (estimated) |
| Ages | 13 Years to 17 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Virginia Commonwealth University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Richmond, Virginia) |
| Trial ID | NCT07475247 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
The program delivers a brief hospital-based intervention using the Elevate virtual reality (VR) platform to youth who present with violence-related injuries. Eligible participants are English-speaking adolescents aged 13–17 and their adult caregivers (18+), who complete the VR session during the hospital encounter and follow-up assessments. The study collects outcome data on subsequent violence exposure, reinjury, and healthcare use to determine if the VR approach reduces firearm-related harms. Interventions include the Elevate VR experience plus structured assessments at enrollment and specified follow-up times.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are English-speaking adolescents aged 13–17 treated for violence-related injuries at Virginia Commonwealth University, with an adult caregiver aged 18 or older available to participate as required.
Not a fit: Patients who are non-English speakers, younger than 13 or older than 17, or whose caregivers are under 18 are excluded and would not receive this intervention through the project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the VR intervention could lower future firearm-related injuries and deaths among participating youth and reduce related emergency care costs.
How similar studies have performed: Hospital-based brief violence interventions have demonstrated long-term benefits for reducing violence-related outcomes, but applying VR specifically to prevent firearm-related violence is a newer, less-tested approach.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Youth participant inclusion criteria: * Aged 13-17 years old * English speaking Youth participant exclusion criteria: * Youth aged \<13 years and \>17 years old * Non-English speaking * Youth of caregivers younger than 18 years old Adult/caregiver participant inclusion criteria: \- Aged 18 years or older Adult/caregiver participant exclusion criteria: \- Aged younger than 18 years
Where this trial is running
Richmond, Virginia
- Virginia Commonwealth University — Richmond, Virginia, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Nicholas Thomson — Virginia Commonwealth University
- Study coordinator: Terri Sulivan
- Email: tnsulliv@vcu.edu
- Phone: 804-828-9304
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.