A Qualitative Examination of Storage Practices of Women Firearm Owners in New Jersey and Ohio to Inform Suicide Prevention.

Introduction: Firearms account for more than half of U.S. suicide deaths and nearly two thirds of all firearm-related deaths; although men are more likely to use a firearm than other lethal means, firearms account for approximately a third of suicide deaths for women. Suicide deaths involving firearms tend to be higher in states with fewer state firearm restrictions, with fewer suicide deaths involving firearms in states with more restrictive firearm laws. Critically, firearm storage practices are associated with an increased risk of both intentional and unintentional injury. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences, attitudes, and practices of women firearm owners in New Jersey and Ohio to inform firearm-specific suicide prevention recommendations. Methods: The authors conducted semistructured qualitative interviews with 40-women firearm owners from New Jersey and Ohio between January and July of 2023. Transcripts were analyzed through thematic analysis using an inductive approach. Results: Nearly half of all participants (47.5%) reported at least 1 loaded firearm, with 50% reporting at least 1 unlocked firearm, and 11 (27.5%) reported at least 1 firearm that was both loaded and unlocked. Slightly fewer women reported storing firearms securely in New Jersey than in Ohio. The authors identified 5 common motivators in the storage practices of women, which included safety, upbringing and education, household composition, accessibility versus security, personal experiences of violence and victimization. Conclusions: Future research should explore unique opportunities to improve firearm risk communication and lethal means safety counseling among women and other underrepresented firearm owners to prevent intentional and unintentional firearm injury.