Co-Director
Science of Firearm Injury Prevention Among Children & Teens
What You'll Learn
- 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.
7 Modules
42 Hours
6 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Science of Firearm Injury Prevention Among Children & Teens
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, this course lays a broad foundation for understanding the science of pediatric firearm injury prevention and the latest research and evidence-based solution. This course covers a range of firearm injury topics including firearm-related suicide, unintentional firearm injury, firearm-related community and youth violence, firearm-related intimate partner violence, school and mass shootings, and officer-involved shootings. Through lectures and interviews from leading firearm injury researchers, 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. 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. The course is also 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 7 modules, this course may be taken from the comfort of your home or office, and you can learn at your own pace.
Supported by a grant to the University of Michigan by the National Institutes of Health - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NIH/NICHD) (Award Number: R24HD087149) and the University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention. The content is solely the responsibility of the contributors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NIH/NICHD) or the Department of Health and Human Services.
Skills You'll Gain
- Certified Health Education Specialist
- Injury Prevention
- Public Health
- Social Policy
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to The Science of Firearm Injury Prevention Among Children & Teens. This course explores epidemiology, research methods, and evidence-based strategies to prevent firearm injuries while addressing disparities and policy implications.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Overview of Child and Adolescent Firearm Injury
- Video: Welcome to the Science of Firearm Safety MOOC & Framing Firearm Injury Prevention Research
- Reading: Pre-Course Survey
- Reading: Course Syllabus
- Reading: How To Navigate This Course
- Reading: Course Contributors
- Reading: Continuing Education Information
- Ungraded Plugin: Defining Firearm Injury
- Ungraded Plugin: Data Sources for Understanding Firearm Injury Prevention - Part 1
- Ungraded Plugin: Data Sources for Understanding Firearm Injury Prevention - Part 2
- Video: Overall Trends in Firearm Injury and Death
- Video: Disparities in Firearm Injury and Death
- Reading: Data Interpretation Activity
- Discussion Prompt: Data Interpretation Reflection
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check 1.1
- Reading: Trigger Warning
- Video: Guns and Bullets: Understanding the Pathophysiology of this Disease
- Video: Theoretical Models
- Video: Applying Theories in the Field
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check 1.2
- Video: Overview of Risk and Protective Factors
- Video: Research Designs
- Video: Developing New Prevention Strategies
- Video: Prevention of Firearm Injury and Mortality
- Video: Types of Youth Exposures to Firearm Injury
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check 1.3
- Video: Firearm Laws in the US
- Video: Basics of Firearm Policy Analysis
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check 1.4
- Video: Using Technology to Identify and Mitigate the Effects of Firearm Injury
- Reading: Readings
- Video: Research Principles & Platforms for Investigating Firearm Injuries & Deaths
- Reading: Additional Resources
- Reading: Evaluation
- Graded: Module 1 Quiz
Module 2: Firearm-Related Suicide
- Ungraded Plugin: Definitions, Populations Affected, and Disparities
- Ungraded Plugin: Risk and Protective Factors
- Video: Key Methods for Understanding Risk Factors for Suicide Deaths
- Video: Firearms and the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Graded Assignment: Activity: WISQARS Exploration
- Discussion Prompt: WISQARS Reflection
- Reading: Stakeholder Spotlight: Marquette County Suicide Prevention Alliance
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check 2.1
- Video: Suicide Risk Screening
- Video: Firearms and Suicide in the United States
- Video: Safe Storage & Community Education
- Video: Primary Prevention of Suicide: Gatekeeper Training, Education, and Awareness
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check 2.2
- Video: Child Access Prevention Laws, Extreme Risk Protection Orders, and Suicide Prevention
- Reading: Research on Child Access Prevention Laws
- Discussion Prompt: Reflecting on Child Access Prevention Laws
- Reading: Readings
- Reading: Additional Resources
- Reading: Evaluation
- Graded: Module 2 Quiz
Module 3: Unintentional Injury
- Ungraded Plugin: Definitions, Populations Affected, and Disparities
- Ungraded Plugin: Risk and Protective Factors
- Video: Key Methodologies: Use of Administrative Data & Electronic Health Record Data
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check 3.1
- Video: Safe Storage to Reduce Unintentional Firearm Injury
- Video: Universal Strategies for Prevention in Healthcare Settings involving Physicians, Healthcare Providers, and Caregivers
- Video: Educational Strategies around Safe Handling of Firearms
- Video: Stakeholder Spotlight
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check 3.2
- Video: Child Access Prevention Laws and Unintentional Injury
- Reading: Search Gun Laws by State
- Discussion Prompt: Reflecting on Gun Law Findings
- Reading: Readings
- Reading: Additional Resources
- Reading: Evaluation
- Graded: Module 3 Quiz
Module 4: Community Violence
- Ungraded Plugin: Definitions, Populations Affected, and Disparities
- Video: Risk and Protective Factors for Community Violence
- Video: Key Methodologies: Place-Based Analysis
- Discussion Prompt: Reflections from Dr. Wiebe's Talk
- Video: Key Methodologies: GIS and the Built Environment
- Discussion Prompt: Reflections from Dr. Jay's Talk
- Video: Firearm-related Hate Crimes among Young Gender and Sexual Minorities of Color
- Video: Firearms and Hate Crimes towards Asian Americans
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check 4.1
- Video: Universal Behavioral Intervention Programs
- Video: Firearm Buyback Programs: Effects on Community Violence
- Video: Environmental Designs
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check 4.2
- Video: Community Exposure to Violence and Trauma-Informed Care
- Discussion Prompt: Reflecting on Drs. Fein and Wirtz-Kravitz's Talk
- Video: Community-Level Interventions to Reduce Firearm Homicide and Retaliation
- Video: Stakeholder Spotlight - Tia Bell of the TRIGGER Project
- Video: Challenges to Implementation
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check 4.3
- Reading: Exploring Firearm Prohibition Laws
- Discussion Prompt: Reflecting on Firearm Prohibition Laws
- Reading: Insights from the FACTS Symposium 2021
- Discussion Prompt: Reflecting on the FACTS Symposium 2021
- Reading: Readings
- Reading: Additional Readings
- Reading: Evaluation
- Graded: Module 4 Quiz
Module 5: Intimate Partner Violence/Dating Violence and Family Violence
- Ungraded Plugin: Definitions, Populations Affected, and Disparities
- Video: Risk and Protective Factors
- Video: Children and Teen Victims in Intimate Partner Homicide: Disparities and Equity Issues
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check 5.1
- Reading: Readings
- Video: Extreme Risk Protection Orders and IPV & Domestic Violence Restraining Order Firearm Restriction Laws and Their Estimated Effects
- Reading: Case Study: Domestic Violence Restraining Orders
- Discussion Prompt: DVRO Case Study Reflection
- Video: Firearm Restrictions for Misdemeanor Convictions for Violence
- Reading: "Disarm Domestic Violence" Exploration
- Discussion Prompt: "Disarm Domestic Violence" Reflection
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check 5.2
- Reading: Additional Resources
- Reading: Evaluation
- Graded: Module 5 Quiz
Module 6: School & Mass Shootings
- Video: Definitions, Populations Affected, and Disparities
- Video: Schools and Intentional Shootings: Risk and Protective Factors
- Reading: Analyzing Mass Shooting Data
- Discussion Prompt: Reflecting on Mass Shooting Data
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check 6
- Video: School and Community
- Reading: Readings
- Video: Gun Violence Prevention Strategies: Implications for Children and Schools
- Video: Implications of Safety Strategies for a School’s Climate, Child Health, and Learning Outcomes
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check 6.2
- Video: Extreme Risk Protection Orders and Threats of Mass Shootings
- Reading: Report on School Shootings
- Discussion Prompt: Reflecting on School Shooting Report Insights
- Reading: Readings
- Reading: Additional Resources
- Reading: Evaluation
- Graded: Module 6 Quiz
Module 7: Officer-Involved Shootings
- Ungraded Plugin: Definitions, Populations Affected, and Disparities
- Video: Factors Associated with Police Use of Deadly Force
- Reading: FACTS Consortium Study on Deaths Due to Legal Intervention
- Discussion Prompt: Reflecting on the FACTS Consortium Study
- Reading: Readings
- Graded Assignment: Comprehension Check
- Reading: APHA Policy Statement Analysis
- Discussion Prompt: Reflecting on the APHA's Policy Statement
- Reading: Readings
- Reading: Additional Resources
- Graded: Module 7 Quiz
Grading Policy
Learners must earn an overall grade of 80%. There are seven quizzes, each worth 14.3% of your final grade.
Co-Director
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
