Science of Firearm Injury Prevention Among Children & Teens Online Course

This course lays a broad foundation for understanding the science of pediatric firearm injury prevention and the latest research and evidence-based solutions.

About this course

Firearm injuries are a leading cause of death among children and teens. However, there are many ways that these injuries and deaths can be prevented using evidence-based practices and policies. Presented by the University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention and the Firearm Safety among Children and Teens (FACTS) Consortium, the Science of Firearm Safety Among Children & Teens Massive Open Online Course covers a range of firearm injury topics including:

  • firearm-related suicide
  • unintentional firearm injury
  • community and youth violence
  • intimate partner violence
  • school and mass shootings
  • officer-involved shootings

The course also covers important gaps in existing research and future directions for expanding the knowledge base of the field. This course is designed for multiple fields and levels of training, including students and researchers from public health, medicine, public policy, social work, nursing, criminology, sociology and psychology fields. It is appropriate for practitioners, educators and parents. As a learner, you will have the ability to select all modules or individual topics that interest you most. Composed of seven modules, this course may be taken from the comfort of your home or office, and you can learn at your own pace.

Note: as part of designation for CME credit, disclosures of faculty’s relevant financial relationships can be viewed here.

Through lectures and interviews from over 35 of the leading firearm injury researchers around the country, and activities, readings, discussion boards, and quizzes, learners can become familiar with the epidemiology, prevention strategies, and policy efforts related to pediatric firearm injury prevention.

 

Watch this short video to learn more about the Science of Firearm Injury Prevention Among Children & Teens

Meet the Contributors

This project was developed collaboratively between the University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, the NIH/NICHD-funded Firearm Safety Among Children and Teens (FACTS) Consortium, and the Center for Academic Innovation. This course includes contributions from over 35 firearm injury prevention experts from across the U.S. Learn more about the contributors below.
Alpern, Elizabeth

Elizabeth Alpern

Northwestern University                                                  

Beidas, Rinad

Rinad Beidas

Northwestern University                                                  

Bell, Tia

Tia Bell

The TRIGGER Project                                                      

Branas, Charlie

Charlie Branas

Columbia University                                                    

Shani Buggs Headshot

Shani Buggs

University of California, Davis                                          

Carter, Patrick

Patrick Carter

University of Michigan                                                

Cook, Stephanie

Stephanie Cook

New York University                                                       

Cunningham, Rebecca

Rebecca Cunningham

University of Michigan                                                   

Ehrlich, Peter

Peter Ehrlich

University of Michigan                                                    

Ewell-Foster, Cindy

Cynthia Ewell-Foster

University of Michigan                                                

Fein, Joel

Joel Fein

University of Pennsylvania                                      

Goyal, Monika

Monika Goyal

George Washington University                        

Goldstick, Jason

Jason Goldstick

University of Michigan                                                    

Hargarten, Stephen

Stephen Hargarten

Medical College of Wisconsin                            

Heinze, Justin

Justin Heinze

University of Michigan                                             

Hsieh, Hsing-Fang

Hsing-Fang Hsieh

University of Michigan                                                 

Jay, Jonathan

Jonathan Jay

Boston University                                                         

King, Cheryl

Cheryl King

University of Michigan                                                    

Kravitz-Wirtz, Nicole

Nicole Kravitz-Wirtz

University of California, Davis                         

Lyons, Vivian

Vivian Lyons

University of Washington                                 

Miller, Matthew

Matthew Miller

Northeastern University, Harvard University               

Pelletier, Karissa

Karissa Pelletier

University of Michigan                                    

Pizarro, Jesenia

Jesenia Pizarro

Arizona State University                                 

Rajan, Sonali

Sonali Rajan

Columbia University                                          

Ranney, Megan

Megan Ranney

Brown University                                                                

Rauk, Leigh

Leigh Rauk

University of Michigan                                    

Richmond, Therese

Therese Richmond

University of Pennsylvania                             

Rivara, Fred

Fred Rivara

University of Washington                                       

Rowhani-Rahbar, Ali

Ali Rowhani-Rahbar

University of Washington                               

Seewald, Laura

Laura Seewald

University of Michigan                                                  

Sigel, Eric

Eric Sigel

University of Colorado                                    

Sokol, Rebeccah

Rebeccah Sokol

University of Michigan                                                  

Walton, Maureen

Maureen Walton

University of Michigan                                                    

Webster, Daniel

Daniel Webster

John Hopkins University                                                    

Zimmerman, Marc

Doug Wiebe

University of Michigan                                                                 

Zeoli, April

April Zeoli

University of Michigan                                                         

Zimmerman, Marc

Marc Zimmerman

University of Michigan                                                                 

Learning Objectives

  • Understand how epidemiological trends and disparities in pediatric firearm injuries and deaths can guide interventions
  • Utilize various research methods and theories to create and evaluate firearm injury prevention programs
  • Recognize existing and promising policies that protect children and teens against firearm injury and death
  • Determine what the gaps in the firearm injury prevention literature are and identify opportunities to fill those gaps with multidisciplinary and community-engaged research and practice

Objectives by Module

Click each module to read the learning objectives
Module 1 - Overview of Child and Adolescent Firearm Injury
  • Describe public health frameworks and the injury prevention model for preventing child and adolescent firearm injury
  • Interpret firearm injury data to better understand how to implement firearm injury prevention research frameworks
  • Determine the most and least prevalent causes of firearm injury and death
  • Discuss epidemiological trends in prevalent causes of firearm injury among children and teens 0-17
  • Identify populations vulnerable to the different causes of firearm injury, highlighting the disparities and societal responses
  • Evaluate key studies and the methodologies appropriate for studying different outcomes
  • Identify ways that researchers, practitioners and stakeholders can advance the prevention of child and adolescent firearm injury
Module 2 - Firearm-Related Suicide
  • Describe population epidemiology of firearm-related suicide
  • Identify the populations at most risk of firearm-related suicide, highlighting various disparities
  • Classify risk and protective factors for suicide across ecological levels
  • Determine the possible scope of prevention strategies
  • Discuss the extant research on the prevention effectiveness of strategies.
  • Evaluate which firearm laws and policies affect firearm suicide, noting the research designs used the estimate the effectiveness of such policies
  • Explore key studies, unanswered questions and data sources
Module 3 - Unintentional Injury
  • Describe population epidemiology of firearm-related unintentional injury
  • Identify the populations at most risk, and discuss disparities
  • Classify risk and protective factors for unintentional injury across ecological levels
  • Determine the possible scope of prevention strategies, and review the extant research on the prevention effectiveness of strategies.
  • Evaluate which firearm laws and policies affect firearm unintentional injury and understand research designs used the estimate the effectiveness of such policies
  • Explore key studies, unanswered questions and data sources
Module 4 - Community Violence
  • Describe population epidemiology of firearm-related community violence
  • Identify the populations at most risk, and discuss disparities
  • Classify risk and protective factors for unintentional injury across ecological levels
  • Determine the possible scope of prevention strategies, and review the extant research on the prevention effectiveness of strategies.
  • Evaluate which firearm laws and policies affect firearm community violence and understand research designs used the estimate the effectiveness of such policies
  • Explore key studies, unanswered questions and data sources
Module 5 - Intimate Partner/Dating/Family Violence
  • Describe population epidemiology of intimate partner violence/dating violence and family violence
  • Identify the populations at most risk, and discuss disparities
  • Classify risk and protective factors for intimate partner violence/dating violence and family violence across ecological levels
  • Determine the possible scope of prevention strategies, and review the extant research on the prevention effectiveness of strategies.
  • Evaluate which firearm laws and policies affect firearm-related intimate partner violence/dating violence and family violence and understand research designs used the estimate the effectiveness of such policies
  • Explore key studies, unanswered questions and data sources
Module 6 - School and Mass Shootings
  • Describe population epidemiology of school/mass shootings
  • Identify the settings where mass shootings occur and the populations affected
  • Classify risk and protective factors for mass shootings/school shootings across ecological levels, and highlight potential modifiable points for intervention
  • Evaluate the impact that ‘mass shootings’ and their responses have for policymakers
  • Evaluate the specific strategies K-12 schools are currently implementing as they respond to the anticipation of school/mass shootings.
  • Discuss the implications of safety strategies for a school’s climate, child health, and learning outcomes.
Module 7 - Officer-Involved Shootings
  • Describe population epidemiology of Officer Involved Shootings
  • Identify the populations at most risk, and discuss disparities
  • Describe risk and protective factors for Officer Involved Shootings across ecological levels
  • Determine the possible scope of prevention strategies, and review the extant research on the prevention effectiveness of strategies.
  • Evaluate which firearm laws and policies affect Officer Involved Shootings and understand research designs used the estimate the effectiveness of such policies
  • Explore key studies, unanswered questions and data sources

Continuing Education

Click each title to read the details for Continuing Education
Continuing Medical Education (CME) & Maintenance of Certification (MOC)

(1) Expected Results: After completing this activity, participants will be able to better navigate patient interactions involving firearm use, storage, and injury prevention, across the different types of firearm injury (i.e. suicide, unintentional injury, community violence, etc.)

(2) Objectives:

  • Describe population epidemiology of different intents of firearm injury (i.e. unintentional, suicide, interpersonal).
  • Identify populations at most risk of different intents of firearm injury (i.e. unintentional, suicide, interpersonal), including various disparities.
  • Classify risk and protective factors for different intents of firearm injury.
  • Determine the possible scope and effectiveness of prevention strategies and interventions involving firearm injury.
  • Evaluate which firearm laws and policies affect firearm injury intents, noting the research designs used to estimate the effectiveness of such policies
  • Explore key studies, unanswered questions, and data sources.

(3) Target Audience: The primary audience includes researchers, students, trainees, and practitioners from diverse backgrounds and disciplines who work in the field of firearm injury or related field, and who may work with those impacted by firearm injuries. These disciplines include medicine, social work, psychology, epidemiology, law, business, the arts, public health, political science, and engineering.

(4) ACCME Statement for Jointly Provided Activities: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the University of Michigan Medical School and the UM Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention. The University of Michigan Medical School is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The University of Michigan Medical School designates this live activity for a maximum of 40 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Release Date May 2023; Termination Date March 2026

(5) Maintenance of Certification (MOC):

ABIM MOC II: Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 40 MOC points and 40 points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

ABP MOC Part II: Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn up to 40 MOC points in the American Board of Pediatrics’ (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABP MOC credit.

ABIM/ABP Diplomats: To claim MOC and have it reported to the specific board, learners must:

***Sign into MiCME, complete your profile, especially regarding MOC reporting.  Go all the way to the bottom and give reporting consent and save.

*** Complete and pass all assessments, evaluations, posttests or quizzes with 70% or better after completing the content.

+++ MOC is not automatically transmitted with your credit claiming but is reported to all boards each month on the 1st and 15th of each month.

Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)
The Region V Public Health Training Center is a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES) to receive up to 37.25 total Category I contact education contact hours. Maximum advanced-level continuing education contact hours available are 0.0. Continuing Competency credits available are 37.25. Provider ID# 99038.
 
If you are seeking CHES Category I CECH, please enroll with the Region V Public Health Training Center to do so after completing each module. After completing each module’s content, you will complete an evaluation, and then will be directed to access your certificate through the Region V PHTC website. 
 
This activity was released on October 17, 2022. CHES credit is available to participants completing the course between May 10, 2023 through December 31, 2024.
Michigan Social Work

This course is approved by the NASW-Michigan Social Work Continuing Education Collaborative Approval #110222-03. With each module learners complete, they will have the opportunity to fill out a form to receive their certificate.  

Michigan Continuing Nursing Education

This course has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the University of Michigan Medical School and the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention. The University of Michigan Medical School is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for health professionals.

Since the course is accredited through ACCME, nurses in Michigan can use CME for their nursing contact hours for licensure. Please refer to the Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) website for more information about Michigan nursing continuing education requirements and how to receive up to 40 hours of CEs for this online course. Please utilize the link listed at the end of each module’s evaluation to redeem CE credits.