Dr. Rinad Beidas joined me to discuss a compelling study highlighting the critical importance of firearm safety in pediatric care bringing profound insights from her recent research involving 30 clinics implementing firearm safety conversations as part of pediatric visits. The study’s two-pronged approach—using both an updated electronic health record template and additional facilitation—remarkably increased the program's reach, with 49% of kids receiving the program when facilitation was involved, compared to 22% with the template alone. This initiative responds to a pressing need for pediatricians to discuss secure firearm storage with parents, an effort underscored by the fact that firearm injuries are now the leading cause of death among youth.

Our conversation also touched on various resources leveraging community support to promote firearm safety. Dr. Beidas mentioned that states like Illinois provide free cable locks, underscoring the role these tangible items play in signaling the importance of secure storage to parents. Furthermore, she highlighted Project Child Safe, a nationwide initiative supported by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which distributes free cable locks through police departments. These formidable resources aim to foster a culture of safety and responsibility, ensuring that children are protected from the potential risks of unsecured firearms. For listeners outside Illinois, Dr. Beidas suggested exploring local community or state programs to access similar safety devices.

As we delved deeper into the mechanisms behind successful implementation, Dr. Beidas introduced the concept of implementation science. This science is crucial in scaling suicide prevention initiatives systematically, ensuring buy-in from clinicians, and better understanding how to help people nd places engage in these efforts. Our discussion highlighted not only the effectiveness of the current study but also the new efforts—funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research—to adapt and expand this program across Illinois' safety net health centers. As we look forward, it's essential to collaborate and invest in scalable, non-political, and evidence-based interventions. Together, with open-hearted and respectful conversations, we can work towards a future where firearm safety is an integral part of pediatric care, ultimately aiming to save young lives. For more resources and information, listeners are encouraged to visit https://safe-firearm.org/our-publications/.

About Dr. Renad Beidas:

Rinad S. Beidas, PhD, is Chair and Ralph Seal Paffenbarger Professor of Medical Social Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. Previously, Dr. Beidas served as founding Director of the University of Pennsylvania Implementation Science Center at the Leonard Davis Institute (PISCE@LDI) from 2017-2022. Dr. Beidas’s research leverages insights from implementation science and behavioral economics to make it easier for clinicians, leaders, and organizations to use best practices to improve the quality and equity of care and enhance health outcomes. She works across areas including mental health, firearm safety promotion, cancer, HIV, and cardiovascular disease and collaborates closely with key stakeholders, including patients, clinicians, health system leaders, payers, and policymakers.

As an international leader in implementation science, Rinad has published over 300 peer-reviewed publications in journals such as JAMA, NEJM Catalyst, and Implementation Science. She has led two NIH centers on behavioral economics and implementation science (P50 MH 113840, P50 CA 244690) and has a strong record of NIH-funded implementation research serving as MPI or PI of 13 NIH grants totaling approximately 40 million dollars. She is an Deputy-Editor-In-Chief for Implementation Science, the flagship journal for the field. Dr. Beidas holds a bachelor of arts in psychology from Colgate University and a doctorate of philosophy in psychology from Temple University. She is the recipient of a number of awards, including the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies President’s New Researcher Award; the American Psychological Foundation Diane J. Willis Early Career Award; the Perelman School of Medicine Marjorie Bowman New Investigator Research Award; the Acenda Institute Research Pioneer Award; the Maret School Distinguished Alumni Award; and the Susan Essock Award for Outstanding Contributions to Mental Health Services Research and Policy.
Contact: rinad.beidas@northwestern.edu

TAKEWAYS:

Transformative Interventions in Pediatric Care: Dr. Rinad Beidas shares the success of a study involving 30 clinics that introduced firearm storage conversations and provided cable locks during pediatric visits. This initiative improved program delivery rates significantly, especially with facilitative support, moving from a baseline of 2% to a striking 49% in clinics that received a change to the electronic health record and implementation support.
Scalable and Impactful Programs: Discover how implementation science is pivotal in scaling such life-saving programs. Dr. Beidas discusses a new study funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research aimed at adapting and implementing these interventions in Illinois' safety net health centers—hoping to expand this model nationally.
Collaboration and Communication: The episode underscores the importance of respectful, collaborative discussions between pediatricians, parents, and young people on secure firearm storage. Providing tangible items like cable locks underscores the importance of firearm safety and encourages key safety conversations within families.