Mountain West States Research Articles

Infant and early childhood teleconsultation and training: Program description and feasibility outcomes from a statewide implementation.

To address high rates of mental health and developmental concerns facing young children ages 0-6 in the United States and internationally, providers across professional sectors need Infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) training and support. The training and teleconsultation program (TTP) is a state-funded program developed in one Mountain West state in the United States to provide free IECMH training and teleconsultation to any provider working with young children. The TTP included access to webinars and individual or group consultation with licensed mental health providers. Webinars focused on increasing awareness and knowledge related to attachment and child development, supporting parents and caregivers, trauma-informed practice, supporting emotional health of staff and providers, and culturally responsive practices with infants, young children, and caregivers. Teleconsultation included case consultation, reflective individual and group supervision, and collaboration supports/referrals. During the 18-month evaluation period, 1568 unique providers engaged in either training or teleconsultation services, an average of 9% growth in new providers each month, with representation from all professional sectors and all state counties. This program demonstrates the feasibility and need for statewide training and teleconsultation programs to help meet the needs of providers who interact with and support young children and caregivers.

36 Beyond Environmentally Adapted, Towards Ecologically Purposed: Sheep Production in the Us West

Abstract Consumer demand for sheep products is robust, the annual consumption of U.S. lamb is steadily rising, and the number of U.S. sheep farms is increasing. Nevertheless, the U.S. sheep industry continues to lose market share to foreign competitors and the breeding ewe inventory has declined 30% since 2002. This decline has been more drastic in the upper U.S. Mountain West states, where ewe inventories have declined 37% compared with the national average decline of 26%. This is problematic given the Mountain West generates one-third and one-half of the total U.S. lamb crop and wool revenue, respectively. This depopulation trend indicates obstacles unique to the Mountain West, which are not experienced elsewhere in the nation. Mountain West sheep production systems depend on both private and public rangelands for grazing, which must co-exist with many other goals for public lands, including species conservation and critical wildlife habitat. Extensive conversion of native rangeland to croplands, rural housing, and degraded grasslands has simultaneously resulted in a substantial loss of wildlife habitat, thus creating competing ideologies for how remaining rangelands should be managed. Accordingly, public land management agencies are constantly pressured to change land management plans to accommodate public agendas aimed at restricting or halting livestock grazing on public lands with the assumption wildlife habitat will automatically improve. Such exclusion of grazing from public lands has negatively impacted operational capacity of sheep ranches, thus posing serious threats to the U.S. sheep industry and its contributions towards national food security, rural communities, and rangeland conservation. Therefore, to maintain grazing access to public lands, sheep producers and land managers urgently need tools (e.g., management, genetic) to optimize both conservation and production outcomes synergistically. However, ecological and sheep genetic outcomes have thus far been considered separate rather than integrated goals. Traditional genetic improvements in sheep production are focused strictly on the sheep without regard to the ecological outcome. In other words, the “ecosystem” is only considered to achieve profitable production within that environment. With this in mind, can sheep research move beyond the traditional focus of “environmentally adapted” flocks to “ecologically purposed” flocks? We propose that heritable ecologically focused traits can be identified and used to complement the overall sheep genetic improvement goals of the industry while creating precision-based solutions for sustainable habitat management, such as mitigating catastrophic wildfire risk, halting noxious weed invasion, and shaping vegetative structure of native plant communities towards desirable rangeland and conservation goals. We believe such outcomes extend beyond shaping public opinion about sheep grazing but also towards introducing novel value-based marketable products from the sheep industry.

Patterns of Cancer Treatment among People with HIV in the Mountain West

People with HIV (PWH) are more likely to get cancer than the general population, and cancer is a large and growing cause of morbidity and mortality in PWH. Cancer survival is significantly worse in PWH compared with uninfected people, due in part to lower rates of cancer treatment. There is a lack of high-quality data assessing treatment patterns for cancers diagnosed in PWH in the Mountain West region of the United States, which is underrepresented in HIV malignancy research funding and cancer clinical trial enrollment specific to this population. As such, the current project examined cancer data for two Mountain West states: Utah (UT) and Nevada (NV). In UT, the majority of PWH are treated in the XXX healthcare system, therefore institutional data from 1992 - 2019 was used to identify cases of cancer among PWH in UT. In NV, cancer registry data linked with HIV registry data was anonymized and obtained from 1985 - 2017. Clinical and demographic features, as well as patterns of cancer treatment, are described in both cohorts. We did not pool data or make direct statistical comparisons between the cohorts given the incompatibility of data sources between the two states. Of the 1,089 cases included in the study, 105 were identified in UT and 984 in NV. In both states, most cancer patients with HIV were White (68% UT, 75% NV) and male (78% UT, 86% NV). 23% of patients in Utah were uninsured or had unknown insurance, while 42% of patients in NV were uninsured/unknown. In UT, the most common cancers among PWH were hematologic (22%), gastrointestinal (16%), and genitourinary (13%). In NV, the most common cancers were gastrointestinal (23%), hematologic (20%), and skin (18%). Stage I was more common in UT (44%, 21% NV), while stage IV was more common in NV (35%, 29% UT). Overall, cancer treatment rates for PWH were numerically higher in UT (75%) compared to NV (55%). In UT, 48% of PWH received surgery, 36% received chemotherapy, and 12% received radiotherapy. In NV, 38% had surgery, 43% had chemotherapy, and 15% had radiation. The study identified differences in PWH and cancer diagnosed in UT and NV, although direct statistical comparisons were not made. The number of PWH diagnosed with cancer in NV was higher, cancer stage was more advanced, and treatment rates were lower. These findings reflect higher HIV prevalence, with HIV rates 3x higher in NV vs. UT. Lower utilization of surgery in NV may reflect later stage at diagnosis. Treatment rates in both states were lower than typical for the general population, which may reflect limited access to tertiary medical centers with HIV and oncology specialists for rural patients in the Mountain West. Given lower cancer treatment infrastructure in NV and availability of clinical trials for PWH in UT, community engagement and collaboration between the two states may yield opportunities to improve access to cancer treatment and outcomes for PWH in the Mountain West.

Recruiting and Retaining Higher Education Leaders for the Rural Community College “Lifestyle”

A significant amount of recent research and media coverage has focused on the challenges related to K–12 teacher shortages, particularly in rural regions of the United States. Far less research, however, has been conducted on the challenges faced by rural community colleges related to recruiting and retaining both academic and professional personnel. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to understand how current rural community college leaders are perceiving and addressing these challenges regarding recruitment and retention of personnel. A total of eight senior leaders in rural community colleges or state oversight agencies throughout one Mountain West state were interviewed. Through their experiences and insight, the authors synthesized their collective concerns to construct various promising practices on how to employ and hold on to personnel at rural community colleges.

Teacher Reports of Social Determinants of Health in Preschool Classrooms

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are nonmedical factors (e.g., poverty) that have an influence on health and development. Early childhood education settings, such as preschools, play a dual role in children’s well-being; high quality is considered both a social determinant of health and a context for receiving referrals to address other SDOH. The current study examines reports of SDOH among a sample of 139 preschool teachers recruited from a Mountain West state. Reported prevalence of SDOH were rated as higher by teachers with more familiarity with SDOH, teachers in public/Head Start schools (vs. private schools), and assistant teachers (vs. lead teachers). Teachers who were more familiar with SDOH and who reported a higher prevalence of SDOH in their classrooms were more likely to refer students to resources to address SDOH.

1350. Limited Opportunities for Student Involvement in Infectious Diseases in the Mountain West: How a New Group is Bridging the Gap

Abstract Background The documented lack of infectious disease physicians in the United States has motivated substantial research. A new student group, “InfectED”, was formed at the University of Utah with a particular focus on community and student education in infectious diseases. To explore the efforts of our peer clubs, this study characterized student groups focused on infectious diseases (ID), microbiology (M), or global/public health (GPH) in the Mountain West. Methods A list of undergraduate colleges, including associates/community colleges, with enrollments of 1,000+ students in eight Mountain West states was constructed. Enrollment was verified with the College Navigator service from the NCES. A second list of 26 schools providing either medical (MD & DO) and/or physician assistant degrees was also developed. Club constitutions, campus and social media webpages were consulted to determine club activities and goals. Results Of the 90 final undergraduate schools, 19 (21.2%) had at least one group. 14 M, 16 GPH, and one ID group were found. 4 (12.9%) groups were at private institutions, with the remainder (87.1%) at public universities; none were at associates/community colleges. 11 (35.5%) groups were chapters of either the American Society for Microbiology, GlobeMed, or Operation Outbreak. Of the professional schools, 1 (3.85%) had groups for M, 11 (42.3%) for GPH, and 2 (7.69%) for ID. Community service, student and community education, guest lectures, journal club, and social and enrichment events were frequently mentioned in club bylaws. Undergraduate Groups Found in the Mountain West Thirty-one groups for infectious diseases, microbiology, or global/public health were found in undergraduate universities in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming. The state of Montana has no groups, and no groups were found at associates and community colleges. Conclusion We demonstrate a need for ID-related student involvement opportunities. By developing chapters of ID organizations such as IDSA, students can be inspired to consider the field later on. A strong interest in global/public health is seen, which can be leveraged to attract interest in ID. The absence of any groups at associates/community colleges is also striking. To target this gap and increase interest, InfectED is directing education and enrichment efforts in both English and Spanish at local community centers, community colleges, and high schools with audiences reporting higher interest in both healthcare and ID afterward. A qualitative survey with an invitation to collaborate is currently collecting responses from our peer clubs. Audience Interest in ID Increases Answer to the question "this presentation influenced my decision to consider pursuing a career in microbiology and/or infectious disease" by community college and high school students across multiple InfectED presentations. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

Invited Commentary: The Use of Population Attributable Fractions in Studies of Vaccine Hesitancy.

Vaccine hesitancy-the delay or refusal of vaccines despite their availability-has been linked to lower vaccination rates and outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. Using cross-sectional surveys of 78,725 parents and other family members in the United States, Nguyen et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2022;191(9):1626-1635) calculated the population attributable fraction (PAF) of vaccine hesitancy on nonreceipt of recommended childhood vaccines, including influenza vaccine. The PAF is readily calculated: p(rr - 1)/rr, where p is the proportion of those hesitant among nonvaccinated individuals, and rr is the risk ratio of nonvaccination between those hesitant over those nonhesitant. By vaccine, the PAF ranged from 6.5% for nonreceipt of the hepatitis B vaccine birth dose to 31.3% for nonreceipt of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine dose 3. For nonreceipt of influenza vaccine, the PAF varied geographically, with relatively high values in some Northeast (e.g., New York at 22.6%) and Northwest (e.g., Oregon at 23.0%) states and lower values in certain Southern (e.g., Louisiana at 7.5%) and Mountain West (e.g., Utah at 8.8%) states. The PAF can elucidate the contribution of vaccine hesitancy on nonvaccination in different circumstances. Future studies can apply this technique in different populations and incorporate different measures of vaccine hesitancy.

Abstract S06-04: Telehealth experiences of adolescent and young adult cancer patients and survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Purpose: To describe adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients’ and survivors’ experiences with telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Eligible participants were identified through the Huntsman Intermountain Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Care Program, which provides age-specific programming and patient navigation to AYA cancer patients and survivors in Utah and surrounding Mountain West states. Participants were emailed an online survey if they were currently age 18 or older and had been diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 15-39 years. We applied descriptive statistics to summarize demographics, comfortability with technology, access to reliable internet connection, and perceived quality of care while using telehealth. Results: AYAs (N=280) were an average of 29.4 years old at survey (range 18-58); 65.2% were female and 82.4% non-Hispanic white. Over half (54.2%) had received cancer treatment since March 2020. All participants reported owning a computer, tablet, and/or smart phone they could use for telehealth appointments. The majority (93.5%) reported almost always or always having a reliable internet connection. AYAs felt most comfortable having a telehealth appointment in their own home (96.4%); only 12.5% felt comfortable using telehealth at work. Since March 2020, (N=183) 65.4% had a health care visit moved to a telehealth platform due to COVID-19. Of those who recently moved to telehealth, 60.1% had an oncology visit, 33.9% had a primary care visit, and 31.1% had a mental health visit. Additionally over one-third (35.2%) reported the quality of their medical care had decreased since moving to telehealth. This was most commonly due to 1) troubles with audio, video, or connecting through telehealth platforms; 2) telehealth visits feeling impersonal; and 3) feeling that providers more easily dismissed or did not fully address their symptoms. Conclusions: Although AYAs are digital natives, over one-third of AYAs feel the quality of their medical care has decreased since moving to telehealth for COVID-19. Further research should explore medical provider training in using telehealth systems and encourage telehealth practices that help AYAs feel more supported and understood. Citation Format: Karely Mann, Austin R. Waters, Perla L. Vaca Lopez, Echo L. Warner, Judy Ou, Heydon Kaddas, Joemy Ramsay, Nicole Ray, Tomoko Tsukamoto, Douglas B. Fair, Joseph M. Letourneau, Mark A. Lewis, David Gill, Lauri Linder, Anne C. Kirchhoff. Telehealth experiences of adolescent and young adult cancer patients and survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Meeting: COVID-19 and Cancer; 2021 Feb 3-5. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2021;27(6_Suppl):Abstract nr S06-04.

16306 Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 across New Mexico and the Mountain West

ABSTRACT IMPACT: Genomic data can be used by policy and decision makers to guide, and assess the impact of, public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Our objective is to investigate the transmission and population dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in New Mexico and other Mountain West states using whole genome sequencing. Understanding how the virus is spreading within and between communities is vital for the design of rational, evidence-based control measures. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We obtained an aliquot of 500ul - 1 ml of inactivated viral transport media (VTM) from positive SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swabs as determined by qPCR from the New Mexico Department of Health, TriCore Reference Laboratory, Idaho Bureau of Laboratories, and Wyoming Public Health Laboratory. We extracted viral RNA from the VTM, and sequenced the genomes using the methodology as described by the widely adopted ARTIC amplicon tiling protocol for SARS-CoV-2. Viral genomes were then sequenced on either an Illumina MiSeq or an Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) GridION. We placed these samples within the context of globally representative sequences made available via the GISAID database. Consensus sequences were aligned and added into this global dataset using the Nextstrain augur pipeline. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We sequenced over 1,000 SARS-CoV-2 genomes thus far from New Mexico (n=861), Wyoming (n=213) and Idaho (n=44). We used this sequence data to infer the transmission dynamics and spread of the virus, both within states and in context of regional and international spread. We inferred at least 128 separate introductions of the virus into New Mexico and at least 29 introductions into Wyoming. The origins of these introductions are diverse, spread across multiple regions in the US and abroad. We also sequenced samples from an individual who had multiple positive tests over time. Our results suggest that this individual was re-infected with a different strain than that of the initial infection. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: Our data show that New Mexico and other Mountain West states have continually experienced many introductions of the virus that then seed local outbreaks. By understanding the number of introductions over time, we can assess the impact of travel restrictions on transmission. Our data also supports that some individuals can be re-infected.

Significant ground-level ozone attributed to lightning-induced nitrogen oxides during summertime over the Mountain West States

Using lightning flash data from the National Lightning Detection Network with an updated lightning nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission estimation algorithm in the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model, we estimate the hourly variations in lightning NOx emissions for the summer of 2011 and simulate its impact on distributions of tropospheric ozone (O3) across the continental United States. We find that typical summer-time lightning activity across the U.S. Mountain West States (MWS) injects NOx emissions comparable to those from anthropogenic sources into the troposphere over the region. Comparison of two model simulation cases with and without lightning NOx emissions show that significant amount of ground-level O3 in the MWS during the summer can be attributed to the lightning NOX emissions. The simulated surface-level O3 from a model configuration incorporating lightning NOx emissions showed better agreement with the observed values than the model configuration without lightning NOx emissions. The time periods of significant reduction in bias in simulated O3 between these two cases strongly correlate with the time periods when lightning activity occurred in the region. The inclusion of lightning NOx increased daily maximum 8 h O3 by up to 17 ppb and improved model performance relative to measured surface O3 mixing ratios in the MWS region. Analysis of model results in conjunction with lidar measurements at Boulder, Colorado during July 2014 corroborated similar impacts of lightning NOx emissions on O3 air quality. The magnitude of lightning NOx emissions estimated for other summers is comparable to the 2011 estimates suggesting that summertime surface-level O3 levels in the MWS region could be significantly influenced by lightning NOx.

Spatial Analysis of Lung Cancer Mortality in the American West to Improve Allocation of Medical Resources

Over 80% of lung cancer incidence in the USA has been linked with smoking, yet causes of lung cancer mortality (LCM) are more complex and have been linked with a range of cultural, environmental, economic and health, lifestyle variables. These all vary spatially yet spatial studies of lung cancer are rare. This paper investigates spatial patterns in county-level LCM and the factors related to it in the western US which has markedly lower rates of LCM than the eastern US. Two variables, not previously investigated, that could be partially responsible for lower rates in the west are included in the analysis. These are elevation and membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Analysis involved aspatial and spatial regression, geographically weighted regression (GWR) and univariate and bi-variate local Moran’s I (LMI) cluster analysis. Regression showed that the explanatory power of covariates varies with the area or region studied although the LDS population and elevation, were important both nationally and within the west. GWR analysis showed how correlations between the dependent and independent variables, and regression coefficients, vary spatially within the western region. This showed broad and smooth trends in the non-stationarity of correlations and coefficients with generally different behavior in the coastal compared to mountain west states. Bivariate LMI analysis was helpful in identifying small clusters of problem counties. These included counties in WY and CO that produce oil and gas with large transient male populations that smoke, counties in CA associated with severe air pollution problems and poor rural counties in several states that have high rates of unemployment and lack of medical facilities. This improved understanding of spatial patterns could be used so that screening/educational efforts and location of the medical facilities can be improved to target the locations and population groups most at risk.

Superintendents’ Perceptions Regarding the Supervision and Evaluation of Principals in a Rural State

The goals for this mixed methods study were to examine superintendents’ perceptions regarding their own supervision and evaluation of principals in a rural state. Five research questions guided the mixed methods inquiry. An online survey tool was used to gather perceptions from superintendents regarding their own evaluation and supervision of principals. Participants solicited included all 48 superintendents from a rural Mountain West state. Out of the participants solicited 23 superintendents agreed to participate (48% response rate). Results from this study provided implications for those who train superintendents and those who supervise and evaluate principals. Keywords: superintendents, principal supervision, principal evaluation, principals

Significant Ground-level Ozone Attributed to Lightning-induced Nitrogen Oxides during Summertime over the Mountain West States

Significant Ground-level Ozone Attributed to Lightning-induced Nitrogen Oxides during Summertime over the Mountain West States

Crime Victim Service Providers' Needs and Barriers: Rurality and "High Need".

The crime victims' rights movement has led to the development of advocacy, rights, and services for crime victims. A growing body of research has examined victim service provision using victim/client samples and complementary research has utilized service provider samples. The latter have focused on crime victim service providers' (VSPs) perceptions regarding clients' needs and barriers, as well as perceptions of service provision, needs, and barriers pertaining to their agency's operations. Although relatively small, the body of provider-focused victim services research has commonly considered the influence of rurality on service provision. The present study adds to this body of research by examining reported needs and barriers of VSPs (N = 94) in a Mountain West state, considering the influence of rurality and concentrated need. Three research questions informed the descriptive analyses: (a) What are the most commonly identified needs and barriers for providers in the state? (b) Are there differences in identified needs and barriers between rural and urban providers? (c) Do certain agencies report more needs and barriers than others, and if so, what are the differences? Findings indicate that many of the needs and barriers identified by VSPs mirror those identified by previous research and that agencies serving rural communities report significantly more needed services than those who do not serve rural communities. Furthermore, approximately 30% of the sample was designated as "high need" due to reported needs and/or barriers exceeding the average of the rest of the sample. The high-need agencies were not exclusively rural in terms of agency location or population served. The potential nuances of rurality's influence on VSPs in an overwhelmingly rural state are discussed.

Law Enforcement Agencies' Perceptions of the Benefits of and Barriers to Temporary Firearm Storage to Prevent Suicide.

To examine the perceived benefits of and barriers to law enforcement agencies providing increased access to voluntary and temporary firearm storage. We surveyed 448 police chiefs and sheriffs in 8 US Mountain West states about firearm storage practices, benefits of and barriers to storage, and related attitudes and beliefs. Data collection occurred during the spring and summer of 2016. Nearly three quarters of agencies reported that they are already providing storage and perceive relatively few barriers in doing so. Agency characteristics were not associated with current provision of firearm storage. Among the barriers identified included state laws, limited space, training needs, and community perceptions. Benefits of storage included being perceived positively by the community and supporting health care workers. Engaging with law enforcement agencies in suicide prevention efforts and addressing their perceived barriers to providing temporary firearm storage have promise as part of a comprehensive suicide prevention approach.

Neighborhood bystander intervention in intimate partner abuse: The role of social cohesion.

This study examines the relationships among individual beliefs about intimate partner abuse (IPA), attitudes about IPA reporting, social cohesion, and the intention of intervening in neighborhood IPA. Data for this study come from a larger cross-sectional, community-based study in which participants (N=1,626) were surveyed face to face using stratified random sampling in targeted communities in a Mountain West state (i.e., drop-off, pick-up method) and online using social media outreach in targeted communities. Linear regression results indicated that participants were less likely to intervene in IPA situations in their neighborhood if they held beliefs about the private nature of IPA or feared retaliation. Additionally, social cohesion was positively associated with participants' intention of intervening in IPA situations in their neighborhood. Our findings suggest potential avenues for community intervention that attempt to build communitywide beliefs that IPA is a community-level concern and one that demands attention from the entire community.

What Are Principals’ Perceptions? Recommendations for Improving the Supervision and Evaluation of Principals

The goals for this qualitative study were to examine principals’ perceptions regarding their own supervision and evaluation. Two research questions guided the qualitative inquiry: (1) What are the greatest strengths of your own supervision and evaluation? and (2) What recommendations would you give to superintendents to improve your own supervision and evaluation? The study used an online tool to gather perceptions from principals regarding their own evaluation and supervision. Participants solicited included 275 principals from elementary, middle, or high schools, in a mountain west state. Out of the participants solicited, 95 principals agreed to participate (35% response rate). The emerging themes for the first research question were (1) trust and communication and (2) goal setting. The emerging themes for the second research question were (1) regular observations with feedback and (2) components to improve supervision and evaluation. Results from this study provided implications for those who supervise principals, as well as for those who train superintendents.

The Fiscal Impacts of Energy: Perspectives from local governments in the Mountain West, USA

Over the past two decades, the U.S. energy sector has undergone significant transition. Coal— historically the primary power source for the U.S. economy—has declined markedly in both production and consumption. Renewables like wind and solar have become much more economically viable in recent years. However, perhaps the most dramatic change has been the drastic increase in oil and gas production since the mid-2000s, due largely to the convergence of unconventional technologies like hydraulic fracturing and directional drilling. The changing energy system presents both opportunities and challenges for local governments, especially those in rural areas that face unique fiscal struggles. In this paper, we present results of a survey of local policy actors in the Mountain West states of Colorado and Utah. Policy actors assessed the fiscal and public service impacts of different types of energy development and we tie these survey responses to spatial energy development data. Results imply that policy actors have nuanced views of all types of energy, though fossil fuels (especially coal) are generally seen as more fiscally beneficial than renewables. Generally, the spatial proximity of a type of energy development has only a weak relationship with perceived fiscal and public service costs and benefits.

Gun retailers as storage partners for suicide prevention: what barriers need to be overcome?

Safe storage of guns outside the household while someone is at risk for suicide is important for suicide prevention. Some gun retailers offer temporary firearm storage as a community resource. Others may be willing if perceived barriers can be addressed. We invited all gun retailers in eight Mountain West states to respond to a questionnaire about the barriers they perceive in offering temporary, voluntary gun storage for community members. Ninety-five retailers responded (25% response rate). Fifty-eight percent believed federal laws make it harder to store guns and 25% perceived state laws to be obstacles. Over 60% cited legal liability in storing and returning guns as barriers. Other important barriers included cost, space and logistical issues of drop off and pick up. Strategies to reduce legal and other barriers will need to be addressed to better engage gun retailers as a community resource for safe gun storage.

Law Enforcement and Gun Retailers as Partners for Safely Storing Guns to Prevent Suicide: A Study in 8 Mountain West States.

To examine the extent to which law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and gun retailers are willing to offer voluntary, temporary storage as a part of an overall suicide prevention effort. We invited all LEAs and gun retailers in 8 US states to respond to questionnaires asking about their willingness to offer temporary gun storage and their recommendations to gun owners about safe storage. We collected data in 2016 from 448 LEAs and 95 retailers (response rates of 53% and 25%, respectively). Three quarters of LEAs (74.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 72.1, 77.5) indicated they already provided temporary storage compared with 47.6% (95% CI = 39.2, 56.0) of retailers. LEAs were most willing to provide storage when a gun owner was concerned about the mental health of a family member. Retailers were more receptive than were LEAs to providing storage when visitors were coming or for people wanting storage while traveling. Both groups recommended locking devices within the home, but LEAs were slightly more favorable to storing guns away from the home. Law enforcement agencies and gun retailers are important resources for families concerned about suicide.