The Role of the Injury Prevention Research Centers in Promoting the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Research Agenda

Unintentional and violence-related injuries represent one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States and have a profound impact on the physical, emotional, and economic lives of our society. Among persons aged 1-34 years, unintentional injuries alone claim more lives than any other cause; homicide is the second leading cause of death for persons aged 15-24 years. In 1992, The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) was organized as the lead center within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services, to address the need and coordinate efforts to prevent injuries for all major causes of non occupational injury among all age groups in the United States by addressing all phases of the injury research framework-from foundational research through dissemination research. To achieve its goal of translating science into effective programs and policies, NCIPC collaborates with other federal agencies and partners to document the incidence and impact of injuries, understand the causes, identify effective interventions, and promote their widespread adoption through support of intramural and extramural research. To support this mission and beginning in the late 1980's, the NCIPC/CDC has recognized the importance in supporting the Injury Control Research Centers (ICRCs); a network of national centers of excellence committed to the prevention and reduction in non-occupational injuries and violence. Located in United States academic and medical institutions, these centers of excellence continue to be instrumental in developing and building the scientific base for injury prevention and control. An extramurally funded multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary program, the ICRCs function is to strengthen the injury and violence prevention infrastructure of the NCIPC/CDC by integrating resources at the state, local and national level. The ICRCs accomplish these significant activities and outcomes by integrating professionals from across diverse injury disciplines, through research, surveillance, consulting and advocacy, training professionals and students, providing technical assistance, translating effective interventions, and informing policy. With the development of the DHHS Healthy People html), resources can be better utilized through identified research needs and priorities. The past and the currently funded 11 ICRCs have furthered the NCIPC/CDC research agenda and priorities in intentional and unintentional injuries including but not limited to transportation-related injuries, violence related injuries, acute care, traumatic brain injuries, falls, unintentional prescription drug overdose, older adult falls, and disaster preparedness. Collaborative research with the ICRCs and other research entities has been the extramural corner stone of building the scientific …