Locked and Loaded: Attitudes Regarding Firearm Storage Among Farming Parents in Iowa

Marc Doobay, MPAS PA-C
Nicholas Stange, MD MPH
Pam Hoogerwerf, BA
Cassidy Branch, MA
Victor Soupene, PhD MS
Charles Jennissen, MD

Suicides and unintentional death rates due to firearms are greater in rural areas as compared to those more urban, and the rates are increasing. The presence of firearms in the home increases the risk of firearm-related deaths and injuries, and rural households, especially farms, are more likely to have firearms. Safe firearm storage is a major factor in preventing these tragedies. However, a study of nearly 1400 adolescent Iowa FFA members found over four-fifths had at least one firearm stored unlocked or loaded at least some of the time in their home. Our study objective was to evaluate the attitudes held by farming parents in Iowa regarding home storage of firearms.

Rural parents participated in focus group sessions conducted in person or on-line in 2024. Participants were recruited through several methods: Iowa FFA (formerly Future Farmers of Amerca) club advisors were contacted by e-mail to inform member parents, a mass email was sent to University of Iowa faculty/staff, and invitations were distributed to 2024 Farm Progress Show attendees. Inclusion criteria were: (1) Must live on and actively farm/ranch in Iowa, (2) Must have at least one child between 10-19 years, and (3) Must have at least one firearm in the home. Dedoose, a qualitative analysis software package, was used for transcript content analysis. Further coding was performed by three team members. Major themes and subthemes emerged. Coding discrepancies were discussed by the team until consensus was achieved.

Thirty-two participated. A few felt safe storage best kept children safe, and that unsafe storage was dangerous. However, some felt it was important more so to prevent theft and maintain gun condition, and to appease others. The majority had views that unsafe storage was acceptable or even not required. In many cases, subjects felt safe storage was incompatible with their use including personal protection and protecting/euthanizing livestock (i.e., they use it as a tool and store it that way). Many felt unsafe storage was safe such as hiding firearms and educating children “not to touch” when younger and how to use properly when older. Some didn’t feel they needed to meet best practices to have safe storage including not having ammunition locked or locked separately, having firearms unlocked but not loaded, and having “most” locked or just temporarily not locked and/or unloaded.

Our study found that the majority of farming parent participants were comfortable with firearm storage that did not meet safe storage criteria (i.e., firearms unloaded and locked with ammunition locked and stored separately) for a variety of reasons. Healthcare providers and other stakeholders will need to address these attitudes/barriers and find compromises that would improve but not necessarily meet best firearm storage practices.

1. State at least three reasons why safe storage is important as provided by some rural farm parents at focus group sessions.
2. Identify at least three reasons why safe storage is not required and is unnecessary as provided by some rural farm parents at focus group sessions.
3. Discuss how attitudes held by rural parents might be addressed by healthcare providers and other stakeholders to improve firearm storage.