Emergency Room Firearm and Medication Safety Intervention

Completed

• Conditions: Suicide; Firearm Injury; Overdose

• Registration Number: NCT04797221
• Lead Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development

Brief Summary

Seventeen United States Veterans die by suicide each day. Nearly three-fourths of those Veterans die from firearm injury or poisoning, and many seek care in VA Emergency Departments (ED) prior to suicide attempts. In 2019, the VA began screening all Veterans seeking ED care for increased suicide risk. Interventions that promote firearm and medication safety are recommended for Veterans identified as at-risk. The investigators work will provide important information that will aid the development and testing of such an intervention for Veterans who seek care in VA EDs. The investigators will interview at-risk Veterans who recently sought VA ED care to identify factors relevant to developing the intervention, and work with Veterans and VA healthcare staff to develop and test an intervention.

Detailed Description

Veterans will be recruited from the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center (RMRVAMC) ED who are identified as having elevated suicide risk by VHA's new suicide risk screening initiative. All Veterans visiting VHA EDs are screened using an eight-item version of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Screener, a valid predictor of future suicidal behavior. The C-SSRS Screener assesses suicide risk using eight items about recent suicidal ideation and intent, preparatory behaviors, and action. Deductive and inductive content analysis of qualitative interviews will occur in parallel with recruitment, and participants will be recruited until thematic saturation is achieved.

Veterans' visits (approx. 90 minutes) will be scheduled at their preferred times at RMRVAMC within two weeks of discharge from the ED. Sociodemographic and military service data will be collected using the Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) Demographics Survey. During this visit, individuals will participate in qualitative interviews to identify contextual factors that may inform development of VA-based lethal means safety interventions.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2021-03-10
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-03-10
• Study First Posted: 2021-03-15
• Study Start: 2021-07-01
• Primary Completion: 2023-02-16
• Study Completion: 2023-02-16
• Results First Submitted: 2024-01-12
• Status Verified: 2024-07
• Results First Submitted QC: 2024-07-23
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-07-23
• Results First Posted: 2024-08-13
• Last Update Posted: 2024-08-13

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 28

Inclusion Criteria

• Veteran
• Recent Emergency Room care
• Screen positive for elevated suicide risk

Exclusion Criteria

• Severe cognitive impairment
• Lack decisional capacity
• Unable to provide informed consent
• Lack reliable phone access
• Admitted to the hospital

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Qualitative Theme Among 28 Patients on Perspectives on Lethal Means Interventions	baseline	Perspectives on VA-based interventions that aim to reduce access to firearms and medications.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, CO; 🇺🇸 Aurora, Colorado, United States