Leveraging Video Vignettes and Social Media to Promote Safe Firearm Storage Among Veterans

Significance to VA: Firearms are involved in 71% of Veteran suicides. Lethal means safety (LMS)-the intentional practice of limiting access to lethal means, such as firearms, to reduce suicide risk-is key to Veteran suicide prevention. Veterans are more likely to adopt secure firearm storage if their loved ones discuss firearm safety with them and if they are exposed to compelling personal stories. Worried About a Veteran (WAV) is a novel, acceptable intervention that includes 13 compelling, Veteran-centered video vignettes about secure firearm storage told from the perspective of Veterans' loved ones. WAV has not undergone formal evaluation and awareness of WAV has been limited. VA Office of Suicide Prevention has called for strategies to support and amplify messaging on LMS.

Innovation and Impact: LMS approaches that leverage loved ones are lacking, which makes WAV unique. Knowledge generated about loved ones' firearms discussions and behaviors further enhances project impact.

Specific Aim: Evaluate the impact of WAV videos on behavioral outcomes related to safe storage of household firearms. Hypotheses are: 1) Exposure to WAV videos will be associated with talking with Veterans about safe firearm storage by end of trial, compared to the active or inactive control; and 2) Exposure to WAV videos will be associated with safe firearm storage practices by end of trial, compared to the active or inactive control.

Methodology: Using a social media campaign, loved ones of Veterans with household firearms will be recruited, randomized to multiple exposures to WAV videos, VA News videos (inactive control), or an electronic copy of a VA LMS brochure (active control), and changes will be evaluated over 8 weeks in discussing safe firearm storage with Veterans (primary outcome). Secondary outcomes will include firearm storage practices, knowledge, intentions, and attitudes.

Path to Translation/Implementation: WAV videos are freely accessible online, making the intervention ideal for large-scale implementation. Next steps may include using the intervention in suicide prevention campaign efforts led by the Office of Suicide Prevention and facilitating use by community-based military and Veteran organizations that have expressed interest in WAV. Project methods can also be applied to other Veteran health issues.