Firearm Screening in the Pediatric Emergency Department

Part of paid clinical trials in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Sponsor
Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
Study ID
NCT07482982
Status
Completed

Conditions

  • Firearm Injury
  • Firearm Ownership
  • Firearm Safety

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Accepted

Interventions

  • Screening Questions 1 — OTHER
    The arm asks caregiver about firearm possession and whether it is locked.
  • Screening Questionnaire 2 — OTHER
    Caregivers are asked modified questions about firearm possession and how firearm is stored.
  • Screening Questionnaire 3 — OTHER
    Caregivers are asked modified questions about firearm possession and how firearm is stored.
  • Screening Questionnaire 4 — OTHER
    Caregivers are asked modified questions about firearm possession and how firearm is stored.
  • Screening Questionnaire 5 — OTHER
    Caregivers are asked modified questions about firearm possession and how firearm is stored.
  • Screening Questionnaire 6 — OTHER
    Caregivers are asked modified questions about firearm possession and how firearm is stored.

Study Details

Firearm injuries is the leading cause of death for children in the United States with approximately 5,000 children being injured or killed by firearms annually. Estimates show there are over 400 million legal and illicit firearms in the US, with approximately 43% of Minnesotans owning a firearm, and over 4.5 million US children living in a home where a firearm is stored loaded and unlocked. Due to the ubiquity of firearms in American homes, interventions that address safe storage can prevent a significant number of pediatric injuries and deaths. Injury prevention and safety counseling are integral parts of pediatric care. Pediatric providers already screen for and provide safety counseling regarding infant sleep location, car seats, bike helmets, and smoking. Firearm safety screening is a natural fit with pediatric practice. However, in the absence of a standardized process, screening for firearm access is rarely completed. In this randomized controlled trial (RCT), the investigators will identify the most effective firearm safety screening question(s) among caregivers of children presenting to the pediatric emergency department (PED) using a stratified, six-arm RCT. Under the assumption that individuals under-report firearm ownership, firearm safety screeners resulting in higher rates of self-reported firearm exposure will be considered more effective.

Key Dates

Start date
Dec 15, 2024
Status verified
Mar 2026
Primary completion
Sep 4, 2025
Completion
Sep 4, 2025

Study Design

Enrollment
784 participants (actual)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SCREENING

Arms

  • Experimental: Standard Screening
    Caregivers who receive Screening Questionnaire 1
  • Experimental: If Firearm how stored
    Caregivers who receive Screening Questionnaire 2
  • Experimental: Firearm in places where child spends time
    Caregivers who receive Screening Questionnaire 3
  • Experimental: Is there a firearm, how prevented from shooting accidentally
    Caregivers who receive Screening Questionnaire 4
  • Experimental: If firearm stored in lockbox, cable lock, unlocked
    Caregivers who receive Screening Questionnaire 5
  • Experimental: How are firearms stored anywhere your child spends time
    Caregivers who receive Screening Questionnaire 6

Primary Outcome Measure

Highest rate of report of firearm exposure. [ Time Frame: Screener takes 10 minutes ]

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Children's MinnesotaMinneapolisMinnesota55405-

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By research site
Children's Minnesota· Minneapolis, MN

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