An Interactive Web Platform to Teach Children Hunting, Shooting and Firearms Safety

Safety Issues Clinical Trial

Official title:

ShootSafe: An Interactive Web Platform to Teach Children Hunting, Shooting and Firearms Safety

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04622943
• Other study ID #: R01CE003307
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: December 14, 2021
• Est. completion date: May 10, 2024

Study information

• Verified date: June 2024
• Source: University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Firearms injuries present a major pediatric public health challenge, killing >800 children ages 0-15 annually and leading to lifelong disability among >1000 survivors. About ⅓ of firearms injuries to children under age 15 are due to unintentional causes rather than suicide or homicide. The investigators propose development and evaluation of ShootSafe, an innovative, engaging, and educational website accessible by smartphone, tablet or computer that engages children to learn firearms safety.

ShootSafe extends existing programs to achieve 3 primary goals: a) teach children knowledge and skills they need to hunt, shoot, and use firearms safely; b) help children learn and hone critical cognitive skills of impulse control and hypothetical thinking needed to use firearms safely; and c) alter children's perceptions about their own vulnerability and susceptibility to firearms-related injuries, the severity of those injuries, and their perceived norms about peer behavior surrounding firearms use. ShootSafe will accomplish these goals through a combination of interactive games plus podcast videos delivered by peer actors (impactful testimonials about firearms injuries/deaths they experienced) and experts (wisdom & experience from trusted role models). The website will also incorporate brief messaging to parents, who will absorb key lessons and reinforce them with their children.

The website will be evaluated through a randomized controlled trial with 162 children ages 10-12, randomly assigning children to engage in the ShootSafe website or an active control website on child nutrition. The investigators will incorporate sub-aims to evaluate changes in children's (a) knowledge, (b) cognitive skills in impulse control and hypothetical thinking, (c) perceptions about firearms safety, and (d) simulated behavior when handling, storing and transporting firearms. All outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at a 4-month follow-up assessment to evaluate retention. Training will comprise two 30-minute sessions.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 163
• Est. completion date: May 10, 2024
• Est. primary completion date: May 10, 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 10 Years to 12 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• children ages 10-12 years

• English-speaking child and parent

• Experience or exposure to firearms in their homes or through engagement in hunting or shooting

Exclusion Criteria:

• disabilities that prohibit participants from valid understanding of or participation in the experimental protocol

• siblings of enrolled child

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Firearm Injury
• Injuries
• Safety Issues
• Wounds and Injuries

Intervention

Behavioral:
• firearms safety
interactive and engaging website with videos and educational games to teach children firearms, hunting and shooting safety
• nutrition
interactive and engaging website with videos and educational games to teach children about nutrition and exercise

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	UAB Youth Safety Lab, University of Alabama at Birmingham	Birmingham	Alabama

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Number of knowledge items answered correctly	children's knowledge about firearms safety (score on 10-item quiz, with possible range of 0-10 and 10 the best score)	1 week after intervention completed
Primary	Composite of children's perceptions about firearms safety	children's perceptions about firearms safety (composite of z-scores from the following self-report measures created for this study: perceived vulnerability/susceptibility, perceived severity of injury, and perceived peer norms)	1 week after intervention completed