Guns in the heartland: examining firearm behaviors among Oklahoman adults
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Health and Exercise Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA; Corresponding author.
- 2Department of Health and Exercise Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
- 3Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
- 4School of Behavioral Health Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77225, USA
Abstract
Objective: To assess firearm ownership, storage, carrying, and exposure to firearm-related threats among adults in Oklahoma, a state with high firearm-related mortality and permissive firearm laws. Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from the 2024 Oklahoma Firearm Survey, a community sample of 630 Oklahoma adults. We examined frequencies and percentages for each variable. We used χ 2 tests to assess differences in firearm ownership, storage, carrying, and firearm-related threats by demographic characteristics, safety training, and concealed-carry permit status. Results: Overall, 51% of participants reported owning a firearm, and more than 30% reported carrying a firearm outside the home, most commonly for self-protection. Twenty-five percent reported having been threatened with a firearm. Threat exposure was more common among males, Black adults, individuals with less than a college education, and those employed full-time. Firearm owners were more likely to be male, live in rural areas, and be employed full-time. Nearly half of firearm owners (48.3%) and firearm carriers (48.5%) reported never receiving formal firearm safety training, and 90% of firearm owners reported unsafe storage practices. Conclusions: Firearm ownership and carrying were common in this Oklahoma sample, while unsafe storage and limited safety training were widespread. Targeted interventions are needed to reduce firearm-related harm.
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BibTeX
@article{mcguire2026guns,
title = {{Guns in the heartland: examining firearm behaviors among Oklahoman adults}},
author = {Hillary McGuire and Marshall K. Cheney and Daniel Larson and Hairong Song and Jeff R. Temple and Yu Lu},
journal = {Preventive Medicine Reports},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.pmedr.2026.103673},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2026.103673},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Guns in the heartland: examining firearm behaviors among Oklahoman adults
AU - Hillary McGuire
AU - Marshall K. Cheney
AU - Daniel Larson
AU - Hairong Song
AU - Jeff R. Temple
AU - Yu Lu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/18
JO - Preventive Medicine Reports
DO - 10.1016/j.pmedr.2026.103673
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2026.103673
AB - Objective: To assess firearm ownership, storage, carrying, and exposure to firearm-related threats among adults in Oklahoma, a state with high firearm-related mortality and permissive firearm laws. Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from the 2024 Oklahoma Firearm Survey, a community sample of 630 Oklahoma adults. We examined frequencies and percentages for each variable. We used χ 2 tests to assess differences in firearm ownership, storage, carrying, and firearm-related threats by demographic characteristics, safety training, and concealed-carry permit status. Results: Overall, 51% of participants reported owning a firearm, and more than 30% reported carrying a firearm outside the home, most commonly for self-protection. Twenty-five percent reported having been threatened with a firearm. Threat exposure was more common among males, Black adults, individuals with less than a college education, and those employed full-time. Firearm owners were more likely to be male, live in rural areas, and be employed full-time. Nearly half of firearm owners (48.3%) and firearm carriers (48.5%) reported never receiving formal firearm safety training, and 90% of firearm owners reported unsafe storage practices. Conclusions: Firearm ownership and carrying were common in this Oklahoma sample, while unsafe storage and limited safety training were widespread. Targeted interventions are needed to reduce firearm-related harm.
SN - 2211-3355
ER -