Preventing Retaliatory Gun Violence in Violently Injured Adults

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Violence

Treatments: Behavioral: Bridging the Gap

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT04813185

R01CE003296 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

HM20020621

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this research study is to find out if a hospital-based violence intervention (Bridging the Gap) is effective for reducing violence. The researchers think that adults who receive Bridging the Gap will see greater improvements than those who do not receive the intervention. This study will allow them to learn more about the intervention's effectiveness. The study will also help them understand if the violence intervention affects other behaviors, such as firearm use, drug use, aggression, risky behaviors, and rates of violent re-injury.

Full description

Approximately 616 patients will enroll in this study. Participants will be asked to complete sessions about behavior, personality, and experiences. Participants will be randomized into a study group (either Bridging the Gap or Treatment as Usual) by drawing a number. If patients agree to the study but do not like the group they are assigned to, they can request to switch groups. Participants assigned to the Treatment as Usual intervention will receive a brief violence awareness brochure during your hospital stay. Participants assigned to the Bridging the Gap intervention will receive an in-hospital intervention and, once released from the hospital, will receive 6-months of community case management services. The study team thinks that adults who receive the Bridging the Gap intervention will see greater improvements than adults who do not receive the intervention. This study will allow them to learn more about the intervention's effectiveness.

During these study sessions participants will complete questionnaires about exposure to traumatic events, symptoms of trauma, history of suicide, aggression and violence, antisocial personality traits, illegal behaviors, substance use, and mental health. Participants will complete several tasks which measure cognitive ability, such as problem-solving, attention/concentration, and decision-making. They will also complete a clinical interview that covers antisocial personality traits and behaviors, including history of aggressive behavior and substance use. These interviews will be video recorded. These recordings will be used to help score the interviews and for training purposes. Information will also be collected from participant's medical records, including demographic information, history and reason for past hospitalizations, mental health history, and substance use reports, as well as a criminal background check.

The surveys take about 2 hours to complete. Participants will complete these questionnaires again 6 and 12 months later. Participation in this study will last up to 12 months.

Enrollment: 616 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• They receive treatment in the hospital for a violence-related injury (e.g., gunshot wound)
• They are 18 years or older
• They are English speaking
• They are eligible for BTG services (which includes living within the BTG catchment area for the hospital; Richmond City and neighboring counties)

Exclusion criteria

• Non-English speaking
• Age <18
• Prisoners

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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616 participants in 2 patient groups

Treatment as usual

No Intervention group

Description:

Adults who will not receive BTG services and will receive treatment as usual (TAU) in the hospital.

In-hospital intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Adults randomized to Bridging the Gap (BTG) services will receive a hospital-based violence prevention program with 6-months of community case management and a firearm counseling program.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Bridging the Gap