A PRISMA Scoping Review to Explore Interventions to Prevent Firearm-Related Injury and Suicide in Older Adults

This scoping review aims to examine existing research into firearm safety interventions designed to prevent firearm injury and suicide in older adults.

Select databases were searched in 5/2023. Included articles involved an/a 1. aim to develop or investigate firearm safety interventions, 2. focus on adults 50 years and older, and 3. primary analysis.

The search yielded 10 articles which primarily focused on firearm safety counseling with older adults with suicide risk or emerging impairment. The review found that older adults may be open to receiving firearm safety counseling but that providers feel ill-equipped to have these conversations and to reliably identify suicide risk. Two studies presented promising data on the impact and acceptability of training providers in a firearm safety intervention. The review also identified the importance of building trust between older patients and providers to have helpful discussions regarding firearms, and highlighted specific approaches that facilitate openness to participate in these exchanges.

Further research into adapting interventions to meet the clinical needs of older adults and treatment efficacy trials is necessary.

Training healthcare providers to conduct firearm safety interventions with older adults may be an acceptable and impactful avenue to prevent suicide.