U-M Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention awarded $11.2M to expand critical research efforts

The University of Michigan’s Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention has received $11.2 million in federal funding to address research topics ranging from secure storage and youth mortality to digital health interventions and technology-facilitated reporting systems.

The funds span seven projects led by U-M faculty members from a wide range of expertise, including emergency medicine, public policy, public health, social work, psychiatry and psychology.

“Firearm violence does not affect just one population or community,” said Patrick Carter, professor of emergency medicine in the Medical School and director of the institute. “But, in order to make the broadest possible impact, our field needs continued dedicated funding. Our institute is focused on addressing this critical issue from all angles and perspectives, with people from all backgrounds, and these new grants will help us in achieving those goals.”

Carter is also professor of health behavior and health equity in the School of Public Health.

The institute has received the most federal funding of any other firearm injury research organization.

Project summaries

A SMART Trial Testing Two Levels of a Secure Storage Safety Intervention Delivered in AAP PROS Primary Care Settings

• Project description: The goal of this work is to improve secure household firearm storage practices among caregivers of children 1-11 years old. The project team will use a two-step study to see which approaches are most effective at encouraging safer firearm storage: If a caregiver does not change how they store firearms after the first counseling session, they will be offered additional support from a trained firearm safety coach. The researchers will then compare these approaches to see how many caregivers adopt safer firearm storage practices and how well each type of counseling works.
• Primary investigator(s): Patrick Carter, U-M Emergency Medicine, U-M Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention; Ken Resnicow, University of Minnesota
• Amount awarded: $3,873,217
• Funder: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) 

National Longitudinal Study of Violence and Substance Use in the United States

• Project description: This project seeks to address the lack of national public health data on safety risks, behavioral health impact and contextual factors (including substance use) relating to violence prevention. The team seeks to address these gaps and limitations through the development and implementation of a nationwide prospective digital cohort of 1,200 adults (ages 18 and older) at increased risk of exposure to violence. Participants will complete surveys every six months over a 24-month period, and a subset will participate in interviews to provide context on experiences of violence, perceived safety, substance use and behavioral health challenges. 
• Primary investigator(s): Kristi Gamarel, School of Public Health; Sari Reisner, School of Public Health
• Amount awarded: $3,899,971
• Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) 

Optimizing Digital Health Interventions for Binge Drinking and Violence for Adult Emergency Department Patients 

• Project description: This project will evaluate the administration of SafERteens, a Health Coach-delivered, brief emergency department intervention that uses motivational interviewing and cognitive skill-building techniques, among young adults ages 18-30. The team will provide the intervention, typically offered to youth ages 14-18, for young adults presenting to the emergency department seeking care for binge drinking, violence or aggression. The study will also expand the SafER Teens program to include more tailored content for the new age group, including extended post-ED visit engagement. 
• Primary investigator: Laura Seewald, U-M Emergency Medicine, U-M Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention
  Amount awarded: $1,173,810
• Funder: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Substances, Behaviors, and Outcomes of Adolescent Reporting to a Statewide Technology-Facilitated Reporting System 

• Project description: The goal of this project is to better understand the types of substances and behaviors being tipped through the North Carolina technology-facilitated reporting system (TFRS). Collecting data spanning a 6-year time period and interviewing school personnel responsible for addressing information submitted through the TFRS, the team will examine the patterns of substance-related tips, documented outcomes of the tips and the response process used by school personnel to address the tips.
• Primary investigator: Elyse Thulin, U-M Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention
• Amount awarded: $429,000
• Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Full article from The University Record