Short Course for Action-Oriented Research on Firearm Injury Prevention

PROGRAM ABSTRACT Firearm injury poses a multifaceted threat to the nation’s public health and there is extensive evidence showing that firearm injuries are associated with extensive racial, ethnic, gendered, socioeconomic, life course, and geographic health inequities, This program, the Short Course for Equity-Centered Action-Oriented Research on Firearm Injury Prevention (SEAR), will develop, implement, and evaluate a 12-week short course, designed to equip nurse scientists and scientists in aligned fields to lead research and develop interventions across a range of firearm injury prevention priorities. The overarching premise of SEAR is that firearm injury research is health equity research and that firearm injuries are both a consequence of social determinants of health and a critical upstream determinant of health and wellbeing. As such, the course focuses on four core training themes: 1) social and structural determinants of firearm injury, 2) healthcare in the aftermath of firearm injury, 3) recovery and reinjury prevention, and 4) community-partnered and policy approaches to address firearm injury inequities. Through in-person and virtual learning, mentorship, and network building, 60 developing nurse scientists and scientists in aligned fields, across three cohorts and three program years, will gain new expertise and support through which they will begin their pathway to impactful scientific contributions for the prevention of firearm injuries and associated harms. Situated in the scientific environment of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Nursing and Penn’s CDC- funded Injury Control and Research Center, in collaboration with Vanderbilt University, SEAR leverages the vast resources of both institutions, including research centers, training programs, faculty, and community- based partners. The program is designed by a Core Faculty of leading firearm injury and injury nurse scientists and supported by an exceptional interdisciplinary Affiliated Faculty with diverse disciplinary and institutional affiliations. SEAR has the following specific aims: Aim 1 is to deliver focused research training for nurse scientists and scientists in aligned fields to conduct equity-centered actionable research on the prevention of firearm injury and firearm injury harms; Aim 2 is to create a robust, diverse, cadre of nurse scientists and scientists in aligned fields with an extended peer and mentor network to advance research on the prevention of firearm injury and firearm injury harms; Aim 3 is to evaluate and improve the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of research training to maximize nursing and aligned fields’ contribution to prevention of firearm injury and firearm injury harms. When achieved, SEAR will meet the purpose of PAR-24-061 and align seamlessly with National Institute of Nursing Research's strategic priority to build knowledge, capacity, and equitable educational access for nurse scientists and scientists in aligned fields to lead research, addressing the pressing health challenge of firearm injury prevention, and advance health equity into the future.