Unsafe firearm storage among family caregivers of older persons living with dementia
- 1University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, San Antonio, TX, United States of America.
Abstract
Purpose: Firearm access in dementia caregiving households poses safety risks. This study examines household firearm ownership and storage practices among dementia caregivers, identifying factors associated with unsafe firearm storage. Methods: We analyzed pooled data from 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Weighted logistic regression assessed associations between caregiver characteristics and firearm storage behaviors (unloaded vs. loaded, locked vs. unlocked). Results: Dementia caregivers were more likely to live in firearm-owning households than non-caregivers (40.57% vs. 35.12%). Among caregivers in firearm-owning households, 35.8% reported loaded storage, and 50.8% of those also reported unlocked storage. Older caregivers are more likely to report unlocked firearm storage (50–64 years: OR=3.74, 95%CI: 1.75–8.01; 65 + years: OR=5.39, 95%CI: 2.02–14.40; reference: < 50 years). Male caregivers had higher odds of reporting a loaded firearm in the household (OR=1.98, 95% CI: 1.32–2.96). In contrast, longer caregiving duration (>5 years: OR=0.36, 95%CI: 0.16–0.78) and assisting with household tasks (OR=0.27, 95%CI: 0.11–0.63) were associated with safer storage, though this protective effect was only observed among younger caregivers. Conclusion: Household firearm storage patterns among dementia caregivers varied by caregiver age, sex, and caregiving context, highlighting the need for tailored firearm-safety counseling and caregiver-focused public health strategies.
Related
- Sarcopenia in Informal Caregivers of Persons Living with Dementia: A Scoping Review
- Is there a role for artificial intelligence in end-of-life care for persons with dementia? Perspectives of and recommendations by caregivers and hospice staff.
- Culturally Sensitive End-of-Life Care for Persons with Dementia: A Global Scoping Review and Conceptual Framework
- Needs among persons with advanced COPD and their informal caregivers: a multi-perspective qualitative study focusing on the potential role of palliative care.
- A pilot evaluation of a preventive intervention to support mental health among dementia caregivers: a controlled longitudinal study
BibTeX
@article{liang2026unsafe,
title = {{Unsafe firearm storage among family caregivers of older persons living with dementia}},
author = {Jiaming Liang and Alexander Testa},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0360412},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0360412},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Unsafe firearm storage among family caregivers of older persons living with dementia
AU - Jiaming Liang
AU - Alexander Testa
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/28
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0360412
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0360412
AB - Purpose: Firearm access in dementia caregiving households poses safety risks. This study examines household firearm ownership and storage practices among dementia caregivers, identifying factors associated with unsafe firearm storage. Methods: We analyzed pooled data from 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Weighted logistic regression assessed associations between caregiver characteristics and firearm storage behaviors (unloaded vs. loaded, locked vs. unlocked). Results: Dementia caregivers were more likely to live in firearm-owning households than non-caregivers (40.57% vs. 35.12%). Among caregivers in firearm-owning households, 35.8% reported loaded storage, and 50.8% of those also reported unlocked storage. Older caregivers are more likely to report unlocked firearm storage (50–64 years: OR=3.74, 95%CI: 1.75–8.01; 65 + years: OR=5.39, 95%CI: 2.02–14.40; reference: < 50 years). Male caregivers had higher odds of reporting a loaded firearm in the household (OR=1.98, 95% CI: 1.32–2.96). In contrast, longer caregiving duration (>5 years: OR=0.36, 95%CI: 0.16–0.78) and assisting with household tasks (OR=0.27, 95%CI: 0.11–0.63) were associated with safer storage, though this protective effect was only observed among younger caregivers. Conclusion: Household firearm storage patterns among dementia caregivers varied by caregiver age, sex, and caregiving context, highlighting the need for tailored firearm-safety counseling and caregiver-focused public health strategies.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -