https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-Polzer2023

Polzer, E. R., Rohs, C. M., Thomas, S. M., Holliday, R., Miller, C. N., Simonetti, J. A., Iverson, K. M., Brenner, L. A., & Monteith, L. L. (2023). Women veterans’ experiences discussing household firearms with their intimate partners: Collaborative, devalued, and deferential relational types. Injury Epidemiology, 10(1), Article 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-023-00452-7

Considering the Department of Veterans Affairs’ priority of suicide prevention, this study examined how women Veterans with a history of suicidality and their partners discuss and make decisions about firearms in their home. 40 women Veterans with a history of suicidal ideation or suicide attempt were interviewed about their involvement in firearm-related decision-making, their partner’s responsiveness to their suggestions about firearm storage and use, and their views on partner involvement in lethal means safety counseling (LMSC). 60% of participants currently had firearms in the home, 42.5% owned firearms themselves, and 42.5% lived with someone who owned firearms. 3 types of relationship dynamics between Veterans and their partners emerged: collaborative, devalued, and deferential.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-023-00452-7

Veterans
Couples

Army
Air Force
Navy
Marine Corps
Multiple branches

Veteran

Veteran

Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Aged (65 yrs & older)

Qualitative Study

Polzer, Evan R., Rohs, Carly M., Thomas, Suzanne M., Holliday, Ryan, Miller, Christin N., Simonetti, Joseph A., Iverson, Katherine M., Brenner, Lisa A., Monteith, Lindsey L.

Rates of firearm suicide have increased among women Veterans. Discussing firearm access and reducing access to lethal means of suicide when suicide risk is heightened are central tenets of suicide prevention, as is tailoring suicide prevention strategies to specific populations. While research has begun to explore how to optimize firearm lethal means safety counseling with women Veterans, there is limited knowledge of women Veterans' perspectives on including their intimate partners in such efforts. This gap is notable since many women Veterans have access to firearms owned by other household members. Understanding women Veterans’ experiences and perspectives regarding including their partners in firearm lethal means safety conversations can provide important information for tailoring firearm lethal means safety counseling for women Veterans.

Springer Nature

Article
REACH Publication

VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention, ERP
VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention, CMR
VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention, SMT
VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention, RH
Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, RH
VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention, CNM
VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention, JAS
Division of Hospital Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, JAS
Women’s Health Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, KMI
Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, KMI
VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention, LAB
Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, LAB
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, LAB
Department of Neurology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, LAB
VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention, LLM
Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, LLM
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, LLM