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The objective of this study was to assess parents' firearm storage behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic and characterize reasons why some parents made their firearms more accessible during this time. In June-July 2020, the study team conducted the FACTS National Survey-a cross-sectional, web-based, survey of 2,924 parents and their teens (ages14-18) regarding firearm-related practices. We weighted descriptive analyses to be nationally representative of parents of teens in the United States. We utilized qualitative thematic analysis to identify parents' reasons for making firearms more accessible. Five percent of firearm-owning parents of teens reported making their firearms more accessible during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Reasons why parents increased the ease of firearm access included: (1) Increased civil unrest and riots; (2) Threat of home invasion and/or crime victimization; (3) Fear of panic and the unknown; and (4) Easier access and greater protection, threat unspecified. Some parents-largely motivated by fear-chose to store firearms in a more accessible manner during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to protect their family against possible external threats. Understanding the fear that motivates parents' decisions regarding storage practices might aid interventions focused on harm reduction and safer storage., Author(s): Rebeccah L. Sokol [sup.1] , Lea Marineau [sup.2] , Marc A. Zimmerman [sup.3] [sup.4] [sup.5] , Laney A. Rupp [sup.3] [sup.5] , Rebecca M. Cunningham [sup.3] [sup.4] [sup.6] , [...]

To describe and identify the correlates of firearm purchasing at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic among US families with teenagers. In June-July 2020, we conducted a national survey of 2924 parents and their teenagers in the US. We report results from this survey to describe firearm purchasing behaviors following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate correlates of purchasing. Between the beginning of the pandemic and July 2020, 10% of households with teenagers purchased a firearm, and 3% became first-time firearm-owning households. Among firearm-owning households, firearm storage was associated with purchasing such that households that stored at least one firearm loaded and unlocked were more likely to purchase a firearm (OR: 2.02[1.07-3.79]) compared to households that stored all firearms unloaded and/or locked. Firearms purchased at the beginning of the pandemic were more likely to go to homes where at least one firearm was stored loaded and unlocked, which may contribute to increased risk for teen firearm injury and death., Author(s): Rebeccah L. Sokol [sup.1] , Marc A. Zimmerman [sup.2] [sup.3] , Laney Rupp [sup.2] [sup.3] , Justin E. Heinze [sup.2] , Rebecca M. Cunningham [sup.3] [sup.4] , Patrick M. [...]

We report on an effectiveness evaluation of the Youth Empowerment Solutions (YES) program. YES applies empowerment theory to an after-school program for middle school students. YES is an active learning curriculum designed to help youth gain confidence in themselves, think critically about their community, and work with adults to create positive community change. We employed a modified randomized control group design to test the hypothesis that the curriculum would enhance youth empowerment, increase positive developmental outcomes, and decrease problem behaviors. Our sample included 367 youth from 13 urban and suburban middle schools. Controlling for demographic characteristics and pretest outcome measures, we found that youth who received more components of the curriculum reported more psychological empowerment and prosocial outcomes and less antisocial outcomes than youth who received fewer of the intervention components. The results support both empowerment theory and program effectiveness.

To conduct our scoping review of risk and protective factors for firearm violence among youth, we searched PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and Criminal Justice Abstracts for English-language research articles published between January 1985 and May 2018. We included studies of modifiable risk or protective factors associated with intentional (including suicide) or unintentional firearm victimization or perpetration with samples that included youth [less than or equal to] 17. Among the 28 included studies, 15 explored risk/protective factors for victimization, five focused on perpetration, five did not differentiate between victimization and perpetration, and five focused on suicide. Most studies examined individual-level risk factors. The few that explored factors beyond the individual were limited by methodological weaknesses and inconsistent findings. Protective factors for youth firearm outcomes were understudied. We need more research on youth firearm violence using longitudinal data and robust statistical methods. Future research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms by which risk/protective factors influence firearm violence., Author(s): Carissa J. Schmidt [sup.1] , Laney Rupp [sup.1] , Jesenia M. Pizarro [sup.2] , Daniel B. Lee [sup.1] , Charles C. Branas [sup.3] , Marc A. Zimmerman [sup.1] Author [...]

Youth living in areas with high concentrations of vacant properties may be at particular risk for poor health outcomes given the associations between deteriorated vacant properties, poor mental health, and community violence. Vacant lot greening has emerged as a key strategy to mitigate the harms of deteriorated properties. Youth engagement in greening has documented benefits for youth, yet few organizations responsible for managing vacant properties currently engage youth. Further, few researchers have examined the best practices that organizations can employ to effectively engage youth in greening programs. The purpose of this study was to understand how high functioning vacant land management organizations with robust youth engagement capabilities engage youth in their greening work. Based on in‐depth interviews with staff from vacant land management organizations, we explored three research questions: (1) what are their identified best practices for youth engagement?; (2) what are the major challenges that impede their youth engagement work?; (3) what solutions are these organizations employing to address these challenges? Findings from this study emphasize the important themes of engaging youth in vacant lot greening in areas of planning, leadership, and decision‐making. Youth engagement in vacant lot greening may be a key mechanism for preventing violence through cultivating youth empowerment and development. Highlights: Youth engagement in greening may be a key mechanism for preventing violence.Valuing of youth driven spaces and cultivating youth leadership is supported by empowerment theory.Examples of how organizations engage youth to address concentrated vacancy and neighborhood decline are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have documented that vacant lot greening can reduce community‐level crime and violence. Busy Streets Theory (BST) suggests that residents who are involved in the greening process can help to improve physical environments and build social connections that deter crime and violence. Yet few researchers have explored how community engagement in the greening process may affect crime and violence outcomes. We applied BST to test the effects of community‐engaged vacant lot greening compared to vacant lots that received either professional mowing or no treatment, on the density of violent crime around study lots. Using mixed effects regression models, we analyzed trends in violent crime density over the summer months from 2016 to 2018 at 2102 street segments in Youngstown, OH. These street segments fell within 150 meters of an intervention parcel that was classified as one of three conditions: community‐engaged maintenance, professional mowing, or no treatment (control). We found that street segments in areas receiving community‐engaged maintenance or professional mowing experienced greater declines in violent crime density than street segments in areas receiving no treatment, and more decline occurred in the community‐engaged condition compared to the professional mow condition. Our findings support BST and suggest that community‐engaged greening of vacant lots in postindustrial cities with a concentrated vacancy can reduce crime and violence. Highlights: Greening of vacant lots is associated with decreases in violent crime.Community‐engaged greening is associated with a greater decrease in crime than professional mowing.Community‐engaged greening of vacant lots in cities can reduce violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined how teachers discuss various factors as impacting their ability to execute with fidelity the Michigan Model for Health (MMH), an evidence-based health universal prevention curriculum widely adopted throughout Michigan. Researchers have found a robust relationship between fidelity and participant outcomes, including in schools. While previous studies have identified barriers that inhibit fidelity, few have focused on identifying key barriers and deepening our understanding of how these factors influence intervention fidelity. We conducted a thematic analysis using the reflexive thematic approach to identify key barriers and facilitators and deepen our understanding of how these factors influence MMH implementation. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and the Implementation Outcomes Framework, we conducted semistructured interviews with 23 high school health teachers across Michigan. Teachers identified intervention characteristics (e.g. design quality, packaging, and program adaptability), student needs (e.g. trauma exposure, substances), and the fit between the intervention and the context as factors that contributed to acceptability. They also discussed the curriculum and its alignment with their teaching style and/or experiences as contributing to fidelity. Teachers shared how they would often go "off protocol" to improve intervention-context fit and meet students' needs. Our results identified acceptability, a perceptual implementation outcome, as demonstrating an important role in shaping the relationship between CFIR factors and fidelity. Results provide guidance for systematically designing implementation strategies that address key barriers to improve acceptability, enhance fidelity, and ultimately achieve desired public health objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adapting evidence-based interventions (EBIs) guided by implementation science frameworks is a promising way to accelerate the translation of effective violence prevention in schools. School-based interventions offer an opportunity to reduce the risk of multiple forms of violence, including sexual violence (SV) and teen dating violence (TDV). EBIs in schools reach large populations of adolescents, including those underserved in other settings. Although specific SV/TDV prevention programs exist, evaluations indicate limited effectiveness over time. We adapted systematically the Youth Empowerment Solutions (YES) violence-prevention EBI using key adaptation steps described in implementation science frameworks to expand the scope of YES to integrate an SV/TDV focus and meet the needs of local youth. In the formative project year, the team adapted YES to integrate SV/TDV content informed by key steps outlined in frameworks including ADAPT-ITT, research-tested intervention programs, and map of the adaptation process. These steps include: (a) assess school and student needs, (b) identify, select an EBI, (c) consult with experts with knowledge in the new topic area (SV/TDV), (d) collaborate with community partners and stakeholders, (e) identify areas for adaptation while maintaining fidelity to core elements, (f) train staff, (g) pilot test adapted materials, (h) implement, and (i) evaluate. We developed the YES for Healthy Relationships (YES-HR), a school-based prevention program that retained core elements of YES, including content related to mastery, adult resources, leadership skills, and community engagement, while integrating SV/TDV-specific content (e.g. consent). Implementation science adaptation frameworks are useful in guiding the systematic adaptation of existing EBIs to meet the needs of youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]