Improving Firearm Storage in Alaska Native Villages

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Suicide, Suicide, Attempted, Wounds and Injuries

In brief

Rates of suicide among young Alaska Native males are over ten-fold higher than among a similar age cohort in the rest of the United States. A high proportion of these deaths are associated with firearms. Firearms are an important part of the subsistence lifestyle of this population, however restriction of access to guns by youth may be a promising strategy to reduce the risk of suicides in this population. Previous research conducted in the first phase of this project has demonstrated that about 75% of homes in rural southwest Alaskan villages have guns, and only about 15% of these guns are locked; 6% are loaded. The aims of this specific phase of the study to execute a randomized trial of an intervention to improve firearm storage practices among residents of selected villages. Our hypothesis is that households receiving training and equipment to store firearms in gun lockers will be more likely to store their guns locked at 12 months, compared to households not receiving the intervention.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00643812

Run by

University of Washington

People needed

266

Starts

2004-11-01

Expected to finish

2007-12-01

Last updated by the study team

2008-03-26

Who can join

Age: 21 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Households in six villages in Western Alaska that owned a gun, did not own a gun locker, adult age 21 or over

Where it is running

• Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center — Seattle, Washington, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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