And the survey said.... evaluating rationale for participation in gun buybacks as a tool to encourage higher yields.
BACKGROUND
Gun buyback programs represent one arm of a multipronged approach to raise awareness and education about gun safety.


METHODS
The city of Worcester, MA has conducted an annual gun buyback at the Police Department Headquarters since 2002. We analyzed survey responses from a voluntary, 18-question, face-to-face structured interview from December 2009 to June 2015 using descriptive statistics to determine participant demographics and motivations for participation.


RESULTS
A total of 943 guns were collected, and 273 individuals completed surveys. The majority of participants were white males older than 55years (42.4%). Participants represented 61 zip codes across Worcester County, with 68% having prior gun safety training and 61% with weapons remaining in the home (27% of which children could potentially access). The top reasons for turning in guns were "no longer needed" (48%) and "fear of children accessing the gun" (14%). About 1 in 3 respondents knew someone injured/killed by gun violence. Almost all (96%) respondents claimed the program raised community awareness of firearm risk.


CONCLUSIONS
The Worcester Goods for Guns Buyback has collected more than 900 guns between 2009 and 2015. The buyback removes unwanted guns from homes and raises community awareness about firearm safety.
University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 North Lake Ave, Worcester, MA 01604. Electronic address: Rebecca.Kasper@umassmed.edu.
Rebecca E
RE
Kasper
Department of Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 North Lake Ave, Worcester, MA 01604.
Jonathan
J
Green
Department of Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 North Lake Ave, Worcester, MA 01604.
Rachelle N
RN
Damle
Division of Pediatric Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 North Lake Ave, Worcester, MA 01604.
Jeremy
J
Aidlen
Division of Pediatric Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 North Lake Ave, Worcester, MA 01604.
Pradeep
P
Nazarey
Division of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 North Lake Ave, Worcester, MA 01604.
Mariann
M
Manno
Department of Injury Prevention, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 North Lake Ave, Worcester, MA 01604.
Esther
E
Borer
Division of Pediatric Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 North Lake Ave, Worcester, MA 01604.
Michael P
MP
Hirsh
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005389:Firearms / Q000191:economics; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D006708:Homicide / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D016495:Police; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012306:Risk; D012449:Safety / Q000191:economics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology
Firearms safety; Injury prevention