Openness to church-based firearm safety interventions among Protestant Christian firearm owners. (March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Conrick, K.M.; Smith, M.B.; Rooney, L.; Morgan, E.; Rowhani-Rahbar, A.; Moore, M.
• Is Part Of: Public health. Volume 216(2023)
• Page Start: 45
• Page End: 50
• Publication Date: 2023-03
• Subjects: Firearms -- Church intervention -- Religion -- Christian; Public health -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 362.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2022.12.010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0033-3506

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: Protestant Christians are more likely to own firearms and not store them locked/unloaded compared to those from other religions. This study examines how Protestant Christians view the relationship between their religious and firearm beliefs and how that informs openness to church-based firearm safety interventions. Study design: Grounded theory analysis of 17 semi-structured interviews with Protestant Christians. Methods: Interviews, conducted August–October 2020, focused on firearms owned, carrying/discharge/storage behaviors, Christian belief compatibility with firearm ownership, and openness to church-based firearm safety interventions. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using grounded theory techniques. Results: Participant perspectives varied on firearm ownership motivations and compatibility of Christian values with firearm ownership. Variation in these themes and in openness to church-based firearm safety interventions resulted in clustering of participants into three groups. Group 1 owned firearms for collecting/sporting purposes and intricately connected their Christian identity with firearm ownership, but they were not open to intervention due to perceived high firearm proficiency. Group 2 did not connect their Christian identity to their firearm ownership; some believed these identities were incompatible, so were also not open to intervention. Group 3 owned firearms for protection and believed church, as a community hub, was an excellent location for firearm safety interventions. Conclusions: The clustering of participants into groups varying in openness to church-based firearm safety interventions suggests it is feasible to identify Protestant Christian firearm owners open to intervention. This study presents a first step in coupling firearm owner characteristics with community-based, tailored interventions with promise for efficacy.