Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, 5116University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Am J Health Promot. 2021 Feb;35(2):255-261. doi: 10.1177/0890117120943114. Epub 2020 Jul 23.
The aim of this investigation was to document the prevalence and correlates of refusing to answer a US federal health survey item about firearms in the household.
The cross-sectional analysis was conducted with 2004 and 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey data from Texas, Oregon, Idaho, California, Kansas, and Utah states whose surveys included items about firearms in the household.
Probability-based samples of adults over the age of 18 (n = 34 488 in 2017 BRFSS; n = 33 136 in 2004 BRFSS).
Dichotomized measure of whether respondents answered versus refused to answer "Are any firearms now kept in or around your home?"
Weighted multiple logistic regression was used to assess how sociodemographic and health-related characteristics were associated with item refusal.
Approximately 1.8% (95% CI: 1.6-2.1) of respondents in 2004 and 3.9% (95% CI: 3.4-4.5) of respondents in 2017 sample refused the firearms item ( < .01). Men were more likely than women (2004: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.24-2.62; 2017: aOR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.17-2.18) and Latino/a respondents were less likely than white respondents (2004: aOR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.10-0.60; 2017: aOR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.13-0.34) to refuse the firearms question. In 2004, refusal was more likely among older than younger respondents, but in 2017, age was not associated with refusal.
Refusal to firearm-related survey items along sociodemographic characteristics warrants further research. Community-informed strategies (eg, focus groups, cognitive testing, in-depth interviews) could improve the context and wording of firearm-related items to maximize response to these items in public health surveys.
本研究旨在记录拒绝回答美国联邦健康调查中有关家庭枪支问题的发生率和相关因素。
这项横断面分析使用了来自德克萨斯州、俄勒冈州、爱达荷州、加利福尼亚州、堪萨斯州和犹他州的 2004 年和 2017 年行为风险因素监测系统（BRFSS）调查数据，这些调查都包含有关家庭枪支的项目。
年龄在 18 岁及以上的成年人的概率样本（2017 年 BRFSS 中 n = 34488；2004 年 BRFSS 中 n = 33136）。
二分类测量，即受访者是否回答或拒绝回答“现在是否有任何枪支存放在您家或周围？”
使用加权多逻辑回归来评估社会人口统计学和健康相关特征与项目拒绝之间的关系。
2004 年约有 1.8%（95%可信区间：1.6-2.1）的受访者和 2017 年约有 3.9%（95%可信区间：3.4-4.5）的受访者拒绝了枪支项目（<.01）。男性比女性更有可能（2004 年：调整后的优势比 [aOR] = 1.81，95%可信区间：1.24-2.62；2017 年：aOR = 1.60，95%可信区间 = 1.17-2.18），拉丁裔受访者比白人受访者更不可能（2004 年：aOR = 0.24，95%可信区间：0.10-0.60；2017 年：aOR = 0.21，95%可信区间：0.13-0.34）拒绝枪支问题。2004 年，拒绝回答的受访者年龄较大，但 2017 年，年龄与拒绝回答无关。
拒绝与枪支相关的调查项目与社会人口统计学特征有关，需要进一步研究。社区知情的策略（例如，焦点小组、认知测试、深入访谈）可以改善与枪支相关项目的背景和措辞，以最大限度地提高这些项目在公共卫生调查中的响应率。
