Date
Spring 2019
Document Type
Poster Session
Department
Social Work
Advisor
Rachel Casey PhD, MSW
Keywords
gun safety, gun storage, firearm-related deaths, accidental gun deaths, United States
Abstract
Firearm-related incidents are often highly publicized tragedies that fuel unproductive political debates on gun policies at the local, state, and national levels. Current best practices in safe gun storage suggest that caregivers can protect their children from injury or death from an accidental gun discharge by keeping guns unloaded, locked up, and stored separately from their ammunition (Crifasi, Doucette, McGinty, Webster, & Barry, 2018). Child access prevention mechanisms including trigger locks, lock boxes, gun safes, and safe storage legislation are encouraged by the American Academy of Pediatrics (Dowd & Sege, 2012). This study gathers quantitative responses from 1,021 participants using an online survey to observe individuals’ perceptions of gun storage and gun safety policies. The data gathered may be used to further understand people's views on five gun safety and gun storage policies that could reduce accidental firearm related deaths among children and adults. Significant correlations that illuminate relationships between perceptions of storage policies and individual demographic data may help guide public messaging strategies that may be used to promoting safer gun storage practices in U.S. homes, especially those with children.
Start Date
4-19-2019 9:00 AM
Recommended Citation
O’Keefe, Bridget and White, Stephen, "What Gun Safety and Access Policies did Participants Think would be Effective in Preventing Accidental Gun Deaths?" (2019). Thinking Matters Symposium Archive. 181.
https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/thinking_matters/181
O'Keefe-White Research Handout
White_Stephen-handout2.pdf (297 kB)
O'Keefe-White Gender Responses Handout
Comments
Also included:
Research Handout
Gender Responses Handout