Parental attitudes, beliefs, and practices related to firearm storage: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Firearm injury is a leading cause of death among children. Safer firearm storage practices are associated with a reduced risk of childhood suicide and unintentional firearm death. However, these practices are underutilized. The objective of this study was to characterize parental attitudes and beliefs related to firearm storage and identify facilitators and barriers to safer storage practices. METHODS: Semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted to identify motivations for using different storage methods among parents who kept firearms in southern Connecticut. The constant comparative method was used to code interview transcripts and derive themes directly from the data. RESULTS: Twenty participants completed the study. 60% were male, 90% were white, and all were between 32 and 53 years old. 85% of participants stored firearms locked, 60% unloaded, 65% kept ammunition locked or did not keep ammunition in their home, and 45% stored ammunition separate from firearms. The following themes were identified: (1) firearm storage must be compatible with a specific context of use; (2) some parents engage in higher-risk storage because they believe it is adequate to reduce the risk of injury; (3) firearm practices are influenced by one’s social network and lived experience; (4) parents who own firearms may be amenable to changing storage practices; and (5) parents’ conceptualization of firearm injury prevention is multimodal, involving storage, education, and legislation. CONCLUSIONS: Parents who keep firearms value convenience and utility, which may be at odds with safer storage practices; however, some may be amenable to adopting safer practices. Family and peer relationships, education, and legislation represent important facilitators of storage practices. Understanding parental attitudes and beliefs on firearm storage may inform future interventions to improve storage practices.