WHO video featuring Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Margie Peden and Dr. Adnan Hyder (5 min.)
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News ArchiveFebruary 16, 2012 The study, which was the first conducted in a relatively low seatbelt use country, revealed, among other things, that of drivers who reported "always" using a seatbelt, only 47% in Afyon and 70% in Ankara were observed to actually use one once behind the wheel. The study also showed that observation studies were a more valid method of determining usage rates than self-reporting. To read the full article, click here. This study is part of the Road Safety in 10 Countries project (RS-10), and was funded with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies. For more information on the work of Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, please contact us at IIRU@jhsph.edu. February 15, 2012 February 10, 2012 The two-day session focused on the strengths and potential improvements for RS-10 in Brazil in terms of monitoring and evaluation techniques, data management, and intervention design. The Proactive Partnership Strategy (the specific intervention package that is applied in Brazil by GRSP) was discussed in detail, with its founder, José Cardita also present. Ideas for improving the quality and accuracy of data on risk factors (drink-driving and speeding) and health outcomes (crashes, injuries, and deaths) were shared between consortium partners and university representatives. Much emphasis was placed on how to standardize, simplify, and improve the quality of secondary and primary data available from each of the five intervention cities. On the second day of the meeting a draft work plan for 2012 was proposed by members of the Ministry of Health and PAHO and was revised by the group. A finalized version of the plan will be shared with all participants in the near future.
January 11, 2012 Dr. Bachani’s contribution, “Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit Building Capacity for Injury Prevention in Low- and Middle-Income Countries,” expounded on IIRU’s ongoing training efforts in LMICs—an essential part of its mission. These efforts include: learning by doing, workshops, and formal coursework through the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH). Indeed IIRU team members are actively involved in hands on training for local collaborators and regularly conduct workshops on a variety of injury prevention topics in addition to offering formal on campus and online courses. IIRU understands cost can be a major hindrance to the transfer of knowledge, consequently Dr. Bachani has worked to make the material covered in two courses, Confronting the Burden of Injuries and Using Summary Measures of Health to Improve Health Systems, available for free access via the Johns Hopkins Open Course Ware System (http://ocw.jhsph.edu/). To access the entire RTIRN January-March newsletter, please follow this link: http://www.rtirn.net/Newsletters/january2012.asp January 11, 2012 Dr. Bachani’s contribution, “Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit Building Capacity for Injury Prevention in Low- and Middle-Income Countries,” expounded on IIRU’s ongoing training efforts in LMICs—an essential part of its mission. These efforts include: learning by doing, workshops, and formal coursework through the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH). Indeed IIRU team members are actively involved in hands on training for local collaborators and regularly conduct workshops on a variety of injury prevention topics in addition to offering formal on campus and online courses. IIRU understands cost can be a major hindrance to the transfer of knowledge, consequently Dr. Bachani has worked to make the material covered in two courses, Confronting the Burden of Injuries and Using Summary Measures of Health to Improve Health Systems, available for free access via the Johns Hopkins Open Course Ware System (http://ocw.jhsph.edu/). To access the entire RTIRN January-March newsletter, please follow this link: http://www.rtirn.net/Newsletters/january2012.asp January 3, 2012 Experts from nine countries in the region, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Venezuela, attended the meeting to discuss the emerging issue of motorcycle-related injuries in the Americas. Participants from organizations such as EMBARQ, the Inter-American Development Bank, Mexico’s National Institute of Public Health, and the Universidade de São Paulo analyzed current interventions from several sectors designed and implemented to address this issue. A draft document to summarize the group’s main recommendations is expected to be developed by PAHO. Upon the completion of the drafting of these recommendations, a policy brief and regional strategy will be developed. For more information please contact: Jlunnen@jhsph.edu. (Below: Participants at the two-day experts' meeting on motorcycle-related injuries in the Americas co-hosted by PAHO, WHO and IIRU. Photo rights belong to PAHO.) January 2, 2012 In September 2011, the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly acknowledged Bloomberg Philanthropies’ donation of US$ 125 million to improve global road safety. This contribution has supported the implementation of a five-year project in 10 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to prevent road traffic injuries, which coincides with the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. The multi-million dollar contribution is considered the largest donation to global road safety by far. The recipients of the donation represent a global consortium on road safety. Since 2009 The Johns Hopkins University International Injuries Research Unit (IIRU) has partnered with 5 other international institutions: the World Health Organization, the World Bank Global Road Safety Facility, the Global Road Safety Commitment, EMBARQ—the World Resources Institute Center for Sustainable Transport, and the Association for Safe International Road Travel. To date IIRU has closely monitored road safety interventions in each RS-10 country and collected several rounds of primary data as regards targeted risk factors: motorcycle helmet use, seatbelt and child restraint use, speeding and drunk driving. University of Zagreb Pediatrics Expert Visits the Unit On October 18, 2011, Dr. Aida Mujkic of the University of Zagreb, Croatia, visited the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit to discuss potential collaborations around child injury research. Dr. Mujkic, an associate professor and a specialist of pediatrics at Zagreb’s School of Medicine, Andrija Stampar School of Public Health, was particularly interested in increasing capacity in Croatia for injury prevention work and engaging multiple sectors. The Unit looks forward to future collaborations with Dr. Mujkic and the University of Zagreb. For more information about the work of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, please contact us.
Dr. Aida Mujkic, associate professor at the University of Zagreb; Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit; and Dr. Anne Wallis, assistant professor at the University of Iowa. ______________________________________________________ New Publication Highlights Need for Global Injury Research and Prevention In a newly published article, Dr. Hadley Herbert, Dr. Adnan Hyder and other authors consider how injury and violence relate to global health, discussing the increasing burden of injury as well as the current global recommendations regarding prevention initiatives. The article, entitled Global Health: Injuries and Violence, was published in Infectious Disease Clinics of North America in an issue devoted to "Global Health, Global Health Education and Infectious Disease: The New Millennium, Part II." In the article, Dr. Herbert, a trauma specialist with the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, and Dr. Hyder, director of the Unit, emphasize that injury and violence rank among the 10 leading causes of death worldwide. In summarizing the evidence, the article serves as a call to action to increase injury research and prevention efforts. The public health community should play a leadership role, they assert, “in galvanizing a multisector response to injury and violence, to advocate for investments at national and international levels, and to catalyze sharing of knowledge and lessons learned across communities and nations.” Click here to download the full article. For more information on the work of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, please contact us. ______________________________________________________ Unit Jointly Runs Road Safety Evaluation Workshop in Mexico The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, together with researchers from the Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica, recently conducted a workshop on road safety evaluation principles in Mexico. Held in Guadalajara on August 8 and 9, 2011, the workshop attracted 20 participants from Leon and Guadalajara, which are the two locations in Mexico for the Road Safety in 10 Countries (RS-10) project. Two individuals from the World Health Organization country office also participated. Dr. Aruna Chandran, associate director of monitoring and evaluation for the Unit, co-led the workshop which consisted of an overview of road safety evaluation principles, data collection and analysis, and evaluation study design. Participants were encouraged to assess the road traffic data collection methods in their own cities and discuss ways to improve them. It was an opportunity for the participants to learn the importance of evaluation, and to interact directly with key implementers of the RS-10 project from both cities, as well as the RS-10 evaluation team. For more information about the Unit's work on the RS-10 project or other road safety projects, please contact us.
Dr. Aruna Chandran, associate director of monitoring and evaluation for the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, leads a session at the road safety evaluation workshop in Mexico on August 8, 2011. ______________________________________________________ Executive Director of WHO’s Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research Visits the Unit The executive director of the World Health Organization’s Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, Dr. Abdul Ghaffar, visited the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit on August 15, 2011. Dr. Ghaffar has worked for more than 25 years in low and middle-income countries managing research for health systems, and teaching health policy and management. He earned his PhD in international health from Johns Hopkins, and his interest is to trigger a global movement to use evidence for improved policy and management decisions at the country level. Members of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit were pleased to meet with Dr. Ghaffar and discuss potential collaborations.
Dr. Abdul Ghaffar, executive director of the WHO Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, and Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit. Prominent Member of the Unit Featured in Lancet Road Safety Article Dr. Sai Ma of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit was recently featured in an article in the Lancet about road traffic fatality data in China. The July 23 article, “Uncertainty clouds China's road-traffic fatality data,” discusses concerns that the number of deaths is underreported by officials there. Dr. Ma offered her experience with the Road Safety in 10 Countries project to emphasize the importance of collaboration among different sectors in implementing road safety solutions. “The Ministry of Health can't go onto the road and stop speeding cars and give tickets,” said Dr. Ma. “They can't go out onto the streets to change traffic light patterns. They have to build a really strong and close relationship with the ministries that can do those interventions.” According to Dr. Ma, the Road Safety in 10 Countries project provides a good example of the supportiveness of and cooperation among city governments, police and public health officials in the country. For more information about our work in road safety, please contact us.
Most of China's road traffic deaths are pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists. (Photo Credit: The Lancet) Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit Joins Conference in Pakistan in a Call for Improved Pre-hospital Emergency Services Last week, experts from around the world met in Karachi, Pakistan to discuss the country’s system for pre-hospital emergency medical services, as well as the state of trauma care overall. Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, presented at the conference. He was quoted in the Dawn as saying, “When we think about healthcare, we should think about the emergency medical system as well.” To read the full article, please click here. For more information about the Johns Hopkins International Research Unit’s work in trauma care and emergency medicine, please contact us.
Article in the Pakistani newspaper, the Dawn, from June 23, 2011, reporting on the conference. Quote from Dr. Adnan Hyder is included. Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit Director Receives 2011 Aron Sobel Guardian Award The Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT) recently presented its 2011 Aron Sobel Guardian Award to Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit. Dr. Hyder received the award during ASIRT’s annual Pillars of Action for Global Road Safety 2011 Gala, which was held at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC on May 23, 2011. ASIRT is a nonprofit organization that promotes global road safety through education, advocacy and targeted road safety projects in low and middle-income countries. Rochelle Sobel founded ASIRT in 1995 following the death of her son, Aron Sobel, who was killed in a bus crash in Turkey. In response to Aron’s death, the U.S. Ambassador to Ankara recommended the creation of a road safety organization to protect both American citizens abroad and the residents of countries around the world. Dr. Hyder is honored to receive this award, and the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit looks forward to future collaborations with ASIRT. For more information about the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, please contact us.
Cathy Silberman, executive director of ASIRT, and Dr. Adnan Hyder. _______________________________________________________ Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit Welcomes Duke University Experts for Special Seminar On Monday, May 16, 2011, the Unit was honored to welcome several guests from Duke University for a daylong meeting and special seminar which focused on trauma care in the developing world. Led by Dr. John Bartlett, director of the Program in International Research at Duke and a professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health at Duke University Medical Center, the Duke team included Dr. Anthony Roche, Dr. Robert Zura, Dr. William Richardson and Kelly Deal. The special seminar, entitled “Surgical Capacity Building in East Africa through Twinning Training and Technology,” was led by Dr. Michael Haglund, professor of neurosurgery and neurobiology at Duke University and program director of the Duke Neurosurgery Training Program. Dr. Haglund is also the co-director of the Uganda East African Neurosurgery Training Program. Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, moderated the seminar. The Unit was pleased to have the opportunity to meet with fellow experts in the fields of trauma care and international health, and looks forward to future collaborations. For more information about partnering with the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, please contact us.
Dr. Michael Haglund presenting his seminar, “Surgical Capacity Building in East Africa through Twinning Training and Technology,” on May 16, 2011. _______________________________________________________ Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit Joins Decade of Action for Road Safety Celebration on Capitol Hill On Wednesday, May 11, 2011, a series of events around the world marked the launch of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit was proud to join our partners in several of these events in Washington, DC, including the Decade of Action for Road Safety Expo and Congressional briefing. The expo, organized by the National Organizations for Youth Safety, provided an opportunity for organizations to share information and materials related to global road safety. The Congressional briefing, organized by the Association for Safe International Road Travel and the U.S. Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety, featured remarks by Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, and Stephen Hargarten, chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. The Decade of Action for Road Safety comes at a time of great promise and opportunity. Building on a solid foundation of research, and support from politicians, philanthropists and celebrities, the Decade is the culmination of years of collaboration and planning. It is also the start of an unprecedented worldwide partnership and commitment to reverse the trend in global road traffic crashes, make road safety a public health priority and save up to 5 million lives by 2020. The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit supports these important goals, most recently leading the evaluation effort for the Road Safety in 10 Countries project, a five-year initiative supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies. For more information about the Unit’s work in road safety, please contact us. ?
Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, speaks during the Congressional briefing on May 11.
Stephen Hargarten, Cathy Silberman of ASIRT and Dr. Adnan Hyder address the audience during the Q&A portion of the briefing.
Dr. Adnan Hyder answers questions for attendees during the briefing. _______________________________________________________ Bloomberg School Participates in Decade of Action for Road Safety On May 11, the World Health Organization launched its global Decade of Action for Road Safety awareness campaign to build on the momentum of governments, industries, nongovernmental organizations and research institutions in preventing injuries from road traffic crashes. The Decade of Action aims to save 5 million lives from road traffic injuries over the next ten years. Road traffic injuries are a global epidemic that reaches far and wide – from the busy streets of Baltimore to dimly lit alleys of Mumbai. More than two people die every minute on the world’s roads, which amounts to 1.3 million people every year. Although road traffic injuries have received little attention as a global public health problem, WHO predicts that road traffic injuries will become the world’s fifth leading cause of death by the year 2030. Although the majority of these tragedies occur in low- and middle-income countries, the problem itself has no borders. According to the U.S. State Department, road traffic injuries are the top killer of healthy Americans traveling abroad. Here in the United States, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people ages 5 to 34. For years, research has focused on the benefits of road safety solutions and interventions around helmet wearing, speeding, drunk driving and seat belts. The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, whose faculty have been leaders in exploring the burden of road traffic injuries and potential interventions in developing countries, has made significant strides in these areas, most recently having joined the global community of World Health Organization Collaborating Centers. The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit is also part of a the Road Safety in 10 Countries project, a five-year, $125 million initiative supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies that aims to improve road safety in 10 low- and middle-income countries. The Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy has a 25 year history of addressing road traffic injuries as a public health problem in the United States. Because of the Center’s emphasis on translation, the consequences of this research on practice and policy are considerable. For example, Center research demonstrated the significant reduction in crash risks as a result of stringent Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) programs, information that has been used by state policymakers across the country to inform their novice driver policies. Center faculty were also among the first to demonstrate the safety impact of bicycle helmet laws and related education programs, and have developed programs designed to help senior drivers better self-regulate their driving, keeping them safer on the roads. Center programs also provide low-cost car safety seats to families in need. For more information about the Bloomberg School’s continuing work in road safety, please contact the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit and the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy. *Click here to view this article on the Bloomberg School's website. _______________________________________________________ Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit to Study Wireless Technology for the Prevention of Drowning in Bangladesh The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit will begin a new research project in rural Bangladesh this year that aims to study the acceptability of using wireless alarm systems in the prevention of drowning. Alain Labrique, assistant professor in the Department of International Health, and Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the Unit, will lead the six-month project. Dr. Labrique received a Faculty Innovations Fund award from the Bloomberg School to support this research. Unintentional injuries are the biggest killer of children ages 1-15 in Bangladesh and drowning presents the greatest risk. For children ages 1-4, drowning accounts for 20 percent of childhood mortality and causes 46 child deaths every day. Water hazards like ponds and rivers surround many homes, so behavioral solutions such as playpens and swimming education have limited effect in the region. The Unit’s work, therefore, will center on studying a new solution – wireless alarm systems. Specifically, Dr. Labrique and Dr. Hyder will test the Safety Turtle from Terrapin Communications to evaluate its acceptability and functionality in rural Bangladesh. The Safety Turtle can be worn around a child’s wrist or ankle and will sound an alarm when immersed in water. For decades, leaders have struggled to identify effective strategies to prevent drowning in rural, resource-poor settings. The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit is excited to examine whether this technology can offer a new solution to this persistent public health problem. The study will be performed at the JiVitA research site in Bangladesh and will be maintained by co-investigators from the Johns Hopkins Center for Human Nutrition. For more information about this project, or to inquire about other work in drowning, please contact the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit. _______________________________________________________ Dr. Adnan Hyder Accepts 2010 Prince Michael International Road Safety Award on Behalf of RTIRN The Road Traffic Injuries Research Network (RTIRN) received the 2010 Prince Michael International Road Safety Award during the UN Road Safety Collaboration meeting in London this week. HRH Prince Michael of Kent presented the award to Margie Peden of the World Health Organization who is a board member for RTIRN, and Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, who serves as board chairman for RTIRN. The award, administered by Road Safe, recognizes important achievements and innovations in road safety. RTIRN’s vision is to reduce the burden of road traffic injuries in low and middle-income countries through the promotion, conduct and utilization of road safety research. For more information on partnership opportunities, please contact the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit.
Margie Peden of the World Health Organization, HRH Prince Michael of Kent, and Dr. Adnan Hyder of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit _______________________________________________________ Dr. Adnan Hyder Featured in UAE Newspaper Discussing Injury Data Project The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit is working with the Health Authority in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to provide a comprehensive review and evaluation of the country’s pilot injury surveillance system. The National, an English-language newspaper published in Abu Dhabi, recently reported on the project's progress. The article features quotes from Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the Unit. The injury surveillance system being tested will ultimately help to reduce the burden of injuries in the region by providing accurate data to influence policy change. When asked about how the system and the data collected will aid in this goal, Dr. Hyder stated,?"As a researcher, I strongly believe in evidence for decision making. The better the data, the better the decision making." To read The National's recent coverage of the project, please visit its website. For more information on the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit's work in injury surveillance, please contact us.
UAE newspaper, The National, reports on injury data project. New Publication Emphasizes the Importance of Childhood Injury Prevention in Reaching Millennium Development Goals Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, and Jeffrey Lunnen, an intern with the Unit who focuses on women's studies and child injuries, recently released a paper that discusses how an increased focus on injury prevention can reduce child mortality around the world. Approximately 830,000 children die every year as a result of injuries like road traffic injuries, poisoning, falls, burns and drowning. Globally, injuries are the leading cause of death for children aged 10 to 19. The paper, entitled, “Reduction of childhood mortality through millennium development goal 4,” points out that, among 67 countries with high child mortality, only 10 are on track to meet the millennium development goal related to reducing these deaths. Dr. Hyder and Lunnen maintain that, given what we know about the problem, the lack of attention to childhood injuries is surprising. Injury prevention and control interventions are not only effective, but also cost-effective. For more information and to read the full text, please visit the British Medical Journal (BMJ). If you have any questions about the work of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, please contact us. Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit Releases New Study on Drowning in Bangladesh Approximately half a million people die of drowning every year around the globe. More than 97 percent of these deaths occur in low and middle-income countries. In Matlab, Bangladesh, for example, drowning is the most common cause of death for children aged 1 to 4. To help address this problem, a team of researchers led in part by Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, and David Bishai, senior technical advisor for the Unit, examined verbal autopsy data in Matlab, Bangladesh. The recently released study, entitled "Childhood drowning and traditional rescue measures: case study from Matlab, Bangladesh," analyzed 10 years of data around drowning deaths in Matlab, including household characteristics, age, gender, time, and also rescue methods attempted. The study is one of the first to publish data on traditional rescue practices performed on drowning children in rural Bangladesh. The findings suggest that interventions should be designed using local information so that we can most effectively reduce childhood drowning. Additionally, community-based resuscitation techniques and emergency medical systems are needed to improve chances for recovery. To read the full study, please visit this link. If you have any questions about our work in drowning research, please contact the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit. _______________________________________________________ March 16, 2011 Photo Highlights from WHO Collaborating Center Launch The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit would like to thank our colleagues and partners who supported us on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 during our launch as a WHO Collaborating Center for Injuries, Violence and Accident Prevention. The day-long event also commemorated 50 years of service by the Department of International Health. Please check back in a few weeks for more information, presentation files, the full event video, and other key highlights.
Sue Baker, Professor, Department of Health Policy & Management
Dr. Adnan Hyder, Director, Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit
Dr. Hyder accepts the WHO Collaborating Center official letter from Dr. Etienne Krug, WHO Director of the Department of Violence, Injury Prevention and Disability, Geneva, and Chair of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration
Dr. Hyder and Dr. Krug
Dr. Hyder, Dr. Tim Baker, Dr. Krug, and Professor Sue Baker
David H. Peters, Associate Professor and Director, Health Systems Program, Department of International Health
James D. Yager, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Scenes from the interactive exhibit which featured international injury partners including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Association for Safe International Road Travel, Safe Kids Worldwide, EMBARQ, and the Global Road Safety Partnership
Scenes from the interactive exhibit, cont.
Aruna Chandran, Associate Director of Monitoring and Surveillance?for the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, demonstrates the Unit's clinical work ? _______________________________________________________ February 11, 2011 Road Traffic Injuries Research Network Wins International Road Safety Award, Features Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit in Newsletter The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit congratulates our partner, the Road Traffic Injuries Research Network, on receiving the prestigious 2010 Prince Michael International Road Safety Award. The award, administered by Road Safe, recognizes important achievements and innovations in road safety. It will be presented during the UN Road Safety Collaboration meeting in April to Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit. Dr. Hyder also serves as board chairman for the Road Traffic Injuries Research Network. In addition, the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit was featured in the Road Traffic Injuries Research Network’s first quarter newsletter, announcing the Unit’s designation as a World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Injuries, Violence and Accident Prevention. For more information on partnership opportunities, please contact the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit.
Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit featured in the Road Traffic Injuries Research Network's newsletter. _______________________________________________________ January 6, 2011 Congratulations to Associate Director of Trauma, Dr. Kent Stevens The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit would like to congratulate Dr. Kent Stevens, the Unit’s associate director of trauma and clinical services, on receiving a prestigious faculty grant from the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health. The grant will assist Dr. Stevens with his trauma work in Cameroon and South Africa. Dr. Stevens is an assistant professor of surgery in the Division of Acute Care Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. His work with the International Injury Research Unit has focused on drowning, injury prevention, and care of the injured patient in Africa and Asia. Dr. Asad Latif, a close colleague of the Unit and an assistant professor of anesthesiology and critical care in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, also received a Center for Global Health grant. For more information about the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit’s work in trauma care, please contact us. _______________________________________________________ January 5, 2011 Unit Faculty Conduct Research into Income and Falls among Elderly Latin Americans Key faculty from the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit recently co-authored a research paper entitled, “Individual Income and Falls among the Elderly in Latin America.” The paper was led by fellow Johns Hopkins colleague Antonio Trujillo, in addition to Prasanthi Puvanachandra, the Unit’s associate director of training and capacity development, and Dr. Adnan Hyder, the Unit’s director. Falls among the elderly are an important public health problem with an impact on medical care, disability and mortality among seniors. Understanding the factors that influence the prevalence of falls is critical in order for policymakers to allocate resources where they can be most effective. The findings of this research indicate that individual incomes among the elderly in Latin America have a low impact on the probability of falling. As income increases, the probability of falling does decrease, but the size of this effect is negligible. In fact, a 20 percent increase in income reduces the probability of falling by only 1 percent. Therefore, the authors suggest that government income transfers to seniors may not be an effective option in reducing the likelihood and costs of falls. Further research is needed into alternative approaches. To read the full paper, please click here. To contact the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, please visit our contact page. _______________________________________________________ December 16, 2010 Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit Releases New Framework for Prevention of Violence against Children The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit recently released a new framework for continued action in the prevention of child violence. The paper, entitled, “Prevention of Violence against Children: A Framework for Progress in Low and Middle-income Countries,” was authored by Unit leaders Aruna Chandran, Prasanthi Puvanachandra and Dr. Adnan Hyder. Violence against children has historically been the least studied area of child injuries. Although previous work on the subject has highlighted the need for more data, services and reforms, the authors indicate that the current agenda remains limited. Therefore, they offer a revised approach which they suggest should focus on four domains: national surveillance, intervention research, legislation and policy, and partnerships and collaboration. Although some progress has been made, and the prevention of violence against children is rising as a public health priority, taking this new approach will be critical in continuing to protect vulnerable children from further injuries and death. The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit is committed to this important effort and welcomes partnerships in the area of child violence prevention. To read the full study, please click here. To contact the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, please visit our contact page. _______________________________________________________ Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit to Lead Injury Study in UAE The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit is excited to announce a new project with the Health Authority in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Led by the International Injury Research Unit’s director, Dr. Adnan Hyder, the project will provide a comprehensive review and evaluation of the country’s draft injury surveillance system. In the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, injuries are the second leading cause of death and disability. Sixty-seven percent of these deaths are related to road traffic injuries. The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit applauds the Health Authority for recognizing the need to analyze injury data and use it to develop more effective injury prevention strategies. Health officials in Abu Dhabi have already taken the first step which was the creation of a draft surveillance system. The International Injury Research Unit now looks forward to working with officials there to evaluate the system and ultimately help to reduce the burden of injuries in the region. December 9, 2010 Interactive Seminar Provides a Forum to Discuss Trauma in the Developing World The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit led a special seminar on December 3, 2010 that provided an in-depth look at trauma care and research in low and middle-income countries. The seminar, entitled “Trauma in the Developing World: Innovative Approaches to Research and Evaluation,” was co-presented by the Division of Acute Care Surgery in the Department of Surgery of Johns Hopkins Hospital, and was put on in collaboration with the Department of Surgery of the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. The seminar attracted a large number of attendees from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Johns Hopkins Hospital and several organizations outside of the school. Dr. Kent Stevens, the associate director of trauma and clinical services for the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, and a trauma surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital, delivered a powerful presentation on the use of data in improving care of the injured patient in developing countries. His talk was followed by Dr. Michel Aboutanos, the director of the International Trauma System Development Program in the Division of Trauma and Critical Care at Virginia Commonwealth University, who spoke specifically about trauma system development in the Latin American region. Joined by Dr. Rao Ivatury, the director of the Division of Trauma and Critical Care at Virginia Commonwealth University, and also Dr. James Neifeld, the chair of the Department of Surgery at Virginia Commonwealth University, the group then formed an interactive panel moderated by Dr. Adnan Hyder, the director of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit. The discussion centered on increasing access to trauma care, evaluating existing programs and overall improving the trauma systems in low and middle-income countries. The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit was pleased to host this important seminar and looks forward to continued collaboration with Virginia Commonwealth University and others as we work together toward reducing the burden of trauma injuries around the world. For more information, please contact the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit. Presentations from the seminar will soon be available for download.
Dr. Kent Stevens, Associate Director of Trauma and Clinical Services, Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, delivers his presentation.
Dr. Michel Aboutanos, Director, International Trauma System Development Program, Virginia Commonwealth University, delivers his presentation.
Dr. Adnan Hyder, Director, Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, moderates the panel discussion.
Panel discussion featuring (from left to right) Dr. Kent Stevens, Dr. Michel Aboutanos, Dr. Rao Ivatury and Dr. James Neifeld. _______________________________________________________ December 7, 2010 Unit Congratulates Two Affiliated Faculty Members on Release of New Research The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit congratulates two of its affiliated faculty members on their recent research accomplishments. Dr. Alain Labrique, an assistant professor with the Department of International Health and the Department of Epidemiology, recently co-authored a paper entitled, “Epidemiology of tornado destruction in rural northern Bangladesh: risk factors for death and injury." Likely the first study to investigate the risk factors for tornado-related injuries in South Asia, the results indicate that further analysis is needed to develop injury prevention strategies. There is also a clear need to address the disparities in risk among various groups such as the elderly. For more information about this research, please click here. Dr. Hafizur Rahman, an assistant scientist with the Department of International Health, recently co-authored a paper entitled, "Assessment of Lithuanian trauma care service using a conceptual framework for assessing the performance of health system.” Injuries are the number one public health problem in Lithuania. According to the study, the Lithuanian trauma sector does not do enough to reduce the burden of injuries in the country. Lack of adequate funding, leadership and policy, the authors suggest, requires a significant change. For more information about this research, please click here. The Unit applauds both studies for making important strides in the area of injury research. _______________________________________________________ November 19, 2010 Statement from the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit regarding World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims Every year, approximately 1.3 million people lose their lives in road traffic crashes. This does not even account for the friends and families of the victims, or the countless individuals who survive crashes but must endure lifelong disabilities. Sunday, November 21, 2010, marks the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, an acknowledgement of the millions affected by this global epidemic and the need for prompt action globally. The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit offers its deepest sympathies on this day to the friends and families of road traffic victims, and also assures communities worldwide that their losses have not gone unnoticed. Local and international organizations continue to work tirelessly to combat the problem of road traffic injuries. The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit is currently working with a consortium of partners on the Road Safety in 10 Countries project, a five-year initiative that draws on support from Bloomberg Philanthropies and the World Health Organization to implement road safety solutions where they are needed most. While there is still much work ahead, the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit is committed to reducing the number of needless injuries and deaths on the world’s roads, and is proud to join hands with global partners in this effort. For more information about the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, please visit its website. For more information about the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit’s work in road safety, please visit this webpage.
World Day of Remembrance image from www.worlddayofremembrance.org. _______________________________________________________ November 11, 2010 Unit Congratulates Dr. Kent Stevens on Analysis of Injury Patterns in Cameroon The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit will be releasing several papers over the next few years focusing on results from an innovative trauma registry project in Cameroon, a study led by colleague Dr. Catherine Juillard and also Dr. Kent A. Stevens, the Unit’s associate director of trauma and clinical services. The first paper in the series, entitled “Patterns of Injury and Violence in Yaounde Cameroon: An Analysis of Hospital Data,” uncovers valuable data on injury patterns from the emergency ward of the busiest trauma center in Yaounde, Cameroon’s capital city. In the span of one year, more than 6,000 people with injuries were admitted and nearly 60 percent of those injuries were related to road traffic accidents. The data emphasizes the need for increased investment in injury prevention in the region, particularly as it relates to road safety. For more information, please download the full report which was published in the World Journal of Surgery this month. _______________________________________________________ November 9, 2010 Dr. Antonio Trujillo Studies Link between Economic Growth and Injuries among the Elderly The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit congratulates Dr. Antonio Trujillo, a colleague associated with the Unit, on the release of his latest research into the link between economic growth and injuries among the elderly. His report, entitled “Association between Economic Growth and Injury Mortality among Seniors in Colombia,” states that there may be enough evidence currently to suggest that economic growth alone cannot reduce injury deaths among older people. Health policies should also be implemented to help reduce and prevent these injuries. For more information, please download the full report which was published online in September. _______________________________________________________ November 1, 2010 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health International Injury Research Unit Named WHO Collaborating Center The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health today announced that its Department of International Health and International Injury Research Unit have been designated a “collaborating center” by the World Health Organization. The new WHO Collaborating Center for Injuries, Violence and Accident Prevention is only the third collaborating center in the United States to focus on injury prevention and joins a network of more than 800 WHO Collaborating Centers in more than 80 countries. Housed within the Department of International Health, the International Injury Research Unit conducts research and training to identify effective solutions to the growing burden of injuries in low and middle-income populations, influence public policy and practice, and advance the field of injury prevention throughout the world. Injuries cause more than five million deaths every year, resulting in high economic and social costs for communities around the globe, particularly in low and middle-income countries where public health systems have yet to prioritize injuries as a major health concern. Adnan A. Hyder, MD, MPH, PhD, associate professor with the Department of International Health and director of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, will be the director of the new collaborating center. “Selection as a WHO Collaborating Center is great recognition that our work on international injuries here at Johns Hopkins already aligns with the global and strategic vision of WHO,” said Hyder. “We look forward to continuing this partnership as we work together toward the prevention and reduction of violence and injuries around the world.” “Collaborating Centers are designated by WHO to support its strategic objectives at both the regional and global levels, enhancing the scientific validity of WHO’s global health work, and strengthening its capacity on the ground,” said Etienne Krug, MD, MPH, director of the WHO Department of Injuries and Violence Prevention in Geneva. “We are very pleased that our long and productive relationship with Dr. Hyder and his team at Johns Hopkins can now be strengthened through this new designation.” As a Collaborating Center, the Department of International Health and the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit will conduct research and evaluation for WHO programs related to the prevention of violence and injuries; provide training and capacity development support for WHO sites; assist in priority setting for injury prevention research; and continue to monitor the road safety programs of the Road Safety in 10 Countries project. “The formal designation from WHO is welcome, yet not entirely surprising,” said Robert E. Black, MD, MPH, professor and chair of the Bloomberg School’s Department of International Health. “The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit has played a significant role in several projects pertaining to WHO’s strategic goals including its current work with the large-scale Bloomberg Road Safety in 10 Countries initiative, which aims to reduce road traffic injuries in 10 low and middle-income countries.” Andrea Gielen, ScD, ScM, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Bloomberg School, added, “WHO’s strong endorsement of the injury prevention work being done in low and middle-income countries by the International Injury Research Unit is a source of pride for all of us in the field. Together, we can have an even greater impact on injury prevention around the globe.” About the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit: Public Affairs Media Contact: _______________________________________________________
David Bishai, Senior Technical Advisor for the Unit, Receives Promotion to Professor The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit extends its congratulations to Dr. David Bishai, the Unit’s senior technical advisor, on his promotion to full Johns Hopkins professor. Dr. Bishai is a highly valued member of the Unit’s team and has lent his expertise to many projects, most recently providing guidance for the Road Safety in 10 Countries initiative. Dr. Bishai uses his extensive knowledge of economic theory to study populations, families and the ways in which public health interventions, including injury control, affect population health. He has focused much of his applied work on evaluating public health interventions such as vaccines, injury control measures and STD control activities. For more information about Dr. Bishai’s important contributions to public health, please visit his webpage.
Dr. David Bishai, Senior Technical Advisor, Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit. _______________________________________________________ October 28, 2010 International Injury Research Unit Attends Vision Zero Meeting at House of Sweden The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit today attended “Vision Zero: Best Practices for Safer Roads from Sweden and the United States,” a meeting which took place at the House of Sweden in Washington, DC. The Swedish “Vision Zero” initiative was passed by its parliament in 1997 and aims primarily to better design transport systems in order to reduce human error. For more information about the Swedish approach to road safety, please visit the Vision Zero website. Today, the traffic mortality rate in Sweden is one third that of the United States. Much of the meeting was dedicated to the discussion of the differences between the two countries, what the United States can learn from Swedish programs and the many technological advances that are available to help reduce traffic deaths around the globe. For more information about the meeting and its speakers, please visit the meeting's website.
Moderator Jayne O’Donnell of USA Today joins J.T. Griffin of MADD and Helena Linden of the Swedish Abstaining Motorists Association at Thursday’s Vision Zero meeting. _______________________________________________________ October 27, 2010 Unit Congratulates Dr. Cheng-Min Huang on New Research into Web 2.0 The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit congratulates Dr. Cheng-Min Huang, a post-doctoral fellow with the Unit, on the publication of his recent paper, “Web 2.0 and Internet Social Networking: A New tool for Disaster Management? - Lessons from Taiwan.” Emerging web technologies are providing a new way for public health workers around the globe to share information and disseminate knowledge. By focusing specifically on a typhoon disaster in Taiwan, Dr. Huang investigates the use of social networking and mobile technologies for emergency response. In Taiwan, these tools were found to be helpful in disseminating information to the first responders quickly and efficiently. For more information about Dr. Huang’s research, please download the full paper here. October 25, 2010 Scholar Maria Micaela Sviatschi Delivers Seminar on Alcohol Sales and Road Deaths The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit was pleased to welcome Maria Micaela Sviatschi to the Bloomberg School of Public Health on Wednesday, October 20, 2010. Ms. Sviatschi, of the Inter-American Development Bank and the University of San Andres, Argentina, met with several members of the Unit throughout her visit. Ms. Sviatschi also delivered a thought-provoking seminar which focused on the results of her research paper, “Dry Law for Drunk Drivers: The Impact of Alcohol-Related Laws on Car Accident Mortality Rates.” The paper studies the effects of laws that prohibit the sale of alcohol at night (i.e., dry laws), and if these laws impact deaths from car accidents. The results suggest that a particular such “dry law” was associated with a reduction of 14 percent in car accident fatalities. The International Injury Research Unit looks forward to continued collaboration and discussion with Ms. Sviatschi as she continues her research.
Maria Micaela Sviatschi visited the International Injury Research Unit on October 20, 2010. _______________________________________________________ International Injury Research Unit Congratulates Aga Khan University on WHO Status The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit congratulates the Department of Emergency Medicine at Aga Khan University in Pakistan on its recent designation as a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care. As a collaborating center, the department will carry out research in the area of emergency medicine and trauma, promote emergency medicine, and assist in building additional capacity for injury prevention throughout the region. The Unit applauds the WHO for the move – it is the first such designation in emergency medicine in the developing world – and looks forward to continued collaboration with Aga Khan University. _______________________________________________________ October 1, 2010 Safety 2010 World Conference a Success for International Injury Research Unit The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit established a strong presence during the Safety 2010 World Conference in London last week. Co-sponsored by the World Health Organization, this international event is considered the major scientific platform for sharing ideas and furthering knowledge about violence and injury prevention. According to the WHO, it draws more than 1,200 of the world’s leading injury researchers, practitioners and advocates from more than 130 countries. Members of the International Injury Research Unit, including Dr. Adnan Hyder, Dr. Aruna Chandran, Dr. Prasanthi Puvanachandra and Dr. David Bishai participated in several sessions throughout the event, including a WHO pre-meeting entitled the “Third Global Meeting of Ministry of Health Focal Points for Violence and Injury Prevention.” The team hosted a parallel session and workshop on September 22 which focused on the evaluation of road safety interventions in 10 countries. This heavily attended session featured presentations and discussion from leaders in international road safety including representatives from the WHO, the Global Road Safety Partnership and Bloomberg Philanthropies, in addition to the International Injury Research Unit’s own Dr. Hyder and Dr. Puvanachandra. On September 24, Dr. Bishai of the International Injury Research Unit, along with Dr. Francesco Zamboni of the WHO, presented their research during a scientific session entitled “Road Transport Law and Policy.” Dr. Bishai discussed the politics of road safety projects and raised the aspiration that, despite political challenges, these projects can lead to the ascendance of road safety on national political agendas. In addition, Dr. Hyder served as the chair for sessions hosted by the Road Traffic Injuries Research Network and also the WHO’s Mentor VIP program. The International Injury Research Unit further demonstrated results on several posters throughout the conference. For more information about the International Injury Research Unit, please download our Safety 2010 brochure or contact IIRU@jhsph.edu. _______________________________________________________ September 16, 2010 Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit Joins Facebook and Twitter The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit is excited to announce the launch of its Facebook and Twitter pages. Please join us as a fan and follower as we post updates and news about international injuries – from all over the globe. To start, the Unit’s experts will be posting from the ground during Safety 2010 in London next week. Please click here to join: Facebook and Twitter.
Screenshot of the International Injury Research Unit's newly developed Facebook page.
September 10, 2010 International Injury Research Unit Travels to London for Safety 2010 World Conference Dr. Adnan Hyder, Dr. Aruna Chandran, Dr. Prasanthi Puvanachandra and Dr. David Bishai of the International Injury Research Unit are gearing up for the Safety 2010 World Conference in London later this month. The team will be presenting their research and lending their expertise to several sessions both before and during the three-day event. In particular, the Unit will be hosting a parallel session on September 22 which will focus on the evaluation of road safety interventions. The session will feature presentations and discussion from leaders in international road safety including representatives from the World Health Organization and the Global Road Safety Partnership, in addition to members of the International Injury Research Unit. If you or your colleagues are attending the events in London, please join us for this special parallel session. WHAT: Evaluating Road Safety Interventions: Road Safety in 10 Countries WHEN: Wednesday, September 22, 15:00 WHERE: Fleet Room, Safety 2010 World Conference, Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London, UK For more information about the International Injury Research Unit, please contact IIRU@jhsph.edu. For more information about Safety 2010, please visit its website.
Invitation to the?International Injury Research Unit's parallel session and workshop in London. _______________________________________________________ July 13, 2010 Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Cheng-Min Huang and International Injury Research Unit Intern Jeffrey Lunnen Release Paper on Road Traffic Injuries in Developing Countries Dr. Cheng-Min Huang, a pediatrician from Taiwan and a postdoctoral fellow, is a welcome addition to the International Injury Research Unit team. His recent publication, “Road Traffic Injuries in Developing Countries: Research and Action Agenda,” is an important step forward in informing program decisions related to road traffic injury prevention, particularly in the developing world. The paper, co-authored by International Injury Research Unit intern Jeffrey Lunnen, highlights five key issues in road safety that the authors state are especially relevant for decision makers in developing countries. First, the authors state that road safety should be seen as a development issue. Second, it is also a health issue. Third, the authors point out that the growing epidemic of road traffic injuries can, in fact, be prevented through the use of scientific and evidence-based methods. Fourth, it is important for decision makers to consider pre-hospital and in-hospital emergency care. Lastly, the authors state that, although progress has been made, more research into the impact of road traffic injuries in the developing world is clearly needed. For more information about this research, or to download the full text, please click here.
An overturned truck on a rural road in Sudan. _______________________________________________________ July 2, 2010 Doctoral Candidate Jennifer Callaghan and Dr. Adnan Hyder Make Progress toward Reducing Drowning Deaths in Bangladesh The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health recently published work from Jennifer Callaghan, a collaborator with the International Injury Research Unit and a doctorial candidate in the Bloomberg School of Public Health. The study, entitled “Child supervision practices for drowning prevention in rural Bangladesh: a pilot study of supervision tools,” demonstrates that drowning prevention methods such as using playpens are generally accepted by parents in Bangladesh. The study also demonstrates the benefits of introducing these types of interventions to households through community-based programs. The results indicate that when households in Bangladesh are provided with supervision tools such as playpens, they use them. The authors state, however, that additional field trials are needed in order to establish the effectiveness of these tools at reducing child drowning. Ms. Callaghan led the project, along with Dr. Adnan Hyder who is the director of the International Injury Research Unit. The researchers point out that injuries are a growing child health concern and are now a leading cause of child death in many developing countries, including Bangladesh. In fact, drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related death among children worldwide. More research around drowning is needed so that governments can make informed, evidence-based decisions about the interventions that work. For more information about this research, or to download the full text, please click here. June 30, 2010 International Injury Research Unit Congratulates Dr. Martha C. Hijar Medina on Acceptance to the Mexican National Academy of Medicine Dr. Martha C. Hijar Medina, a collaborator with the International Injury Research Unit, was recently accepted as a “Numerario” (i.e., numerarium academic) in the National Academy of Medicine in Mexico. The Unit congratulates Dr. Medina on this honor and looks forward to a continued partnership. Dr. Medina previously served on the board of the Road Traffic Injuries Research Network, which is currently chaired by Dr. Adnan Hyder, the director of the International Injury Research Unit. She now serves as an advisor to the Secretariat of the RTIRN. _______________________________________________________ June 28, 2010 International Injury Research Unit Discusses the Importance of Disability Research with Irish Global Health Scholars The International Injury Research Unit today met with Dr. Eilish McAuliffe and Dr. Malcolm MacLachlan of Trinity College Dublin’s Centre for Global Health. The scholars discussed a variety of topics with the Unit, including the release of their newest book, “The Aid Triangle.” The book, reflecting much of their recent research, focuses on the human dynamics of international aid and presents a new framework for how the aid system should work. The group also discussed how to maximize human resources capacity in rural health systems, as well as how to strengthen equitable access to health care in vulnerable populations throughout the world. Of particular interest was the African Policy on Disability and Development (A-PODD), where the Centre for Global Health plays a key role. A-PODD is currently focusing on how research evidence in the area of disability can inform policy decisions in Africa. Because disability is closely tied and often caused by injury, the International Injury Research Unit looks forward to continued collaboration with both Dr. Eilish McAuliffe and Dr. Malcolm MacLachlan in this area of study study as we work together to reduce the burden of injuries around the world.
Dr. Eilish McAuliffe and Dr. Malcolm MacLachlan of Trinity College Dublin’s Centre for Global Health discuss their work with the International Injury Research Unit. _______________________________________________________ June 22, 2010 Dr. Aruna Chandran Demonstrates the Need for Increased Investment in Global Injury Research Epidemiologic Reviews, a journal from Oxford Journals, today published recent work from Dr. Aruna Chandran, the International Injury Research Unit’s associate director of monitoring and surveillance. The paper, entitled “The Global Burden of Unintentional Injuries and an Agenda for Progress,” calls for improvements in injury research and prevention around the world, particularly in low and middle-income countries. Dr. Chandran led the research project, along with Dr. Adnan Hyder of the International Injury Research Unit and Dr. Corinne Peek-Asa of the University of Iowa. Dr. Peek-Asa is the director of the University of Iowa’s Injury Prevention Research Center. Using data from the 2004 World Health Organization (WHO) Global Burden of Disease Study, the researchers concluded that unintentional injuries pose a significant global health burden. According to the WHO, unintentional injuries were responsible for more than 3.9 million deaths in 2004. Road traffic injuries comprise the largest proportion of these (i.e., 33 percent). Strikingly, more than 90 percent of the 3.9 million injury-related deaths occurred in low and middle-income countries. Many of these countries, especially those with poorly developed public health systems, have yet to prioritize injuries as a public health problem. Because 90 percent of the world’s population lives in low and middle-income countries, more research around injuries is needed so that governments can make informed, evidence-based decisions about the programs that work. For more information about this research, or to download the full text, please click here.
Dr. Aruna Chandran, associate director of monitoring and surveillance for the International Injury Research Unit. _______________________________________________________ June 16, 2010 Today, Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the International Injury Research Unit, traveled to Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico to chair the most recent meeting of the Road Traffic Injuries Research Network (RTIRN). In addition to his work as director of the Unit, Dr. Adnan Hyder also serves as chairman for the RTIRN, a global partnership of more than 400 members that collaborate to further research into the impact of road traffic injuries around the world. The meeting in Mexico attracted several thought leaders in the field of road injury research including Dr. Olive Kobusingye of Makerere University in Uganda and Dr. Margie Peden of the WHO. The meeting’s theme focused on “Pedestrian Injuries Research in Low and Middle-Income Countries.” Participants learned about the risk factors and costs of pedestrian injuries, promising interventions being utilized currently, as well as successful methods for research and capacity building in this important area of study. Injuries are one of the fastest growing yet one of the most preventable global health burdens of the 21st century. The International Injury Research Unit’s continued collaboration with the RTIRN is welcomed as we strive to identify effective solutions.
Dr. Adnan Hyder joins the secretariat of the RTIRN, several board members, as well as several members of the Pan American Health Organization during the pedestrian injury meeting in Mexico on June 16, 2010. _______________________________________________________ June 15, 2010 International Injury Research Unit Scholar Presents at Global Health Council Katharine Allen, a doctoral candidate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a valued research assistant for the International Injury Research Unit, was asked to present her latest work during a Global Health Council meeting in Washington, DC this week. Her project delved into how a small country’s health care system made seemingly remarkable progress in a very short amount of time. Ms. Allen, the recipient of a Fulbright grant, spent seven months in the Sultanate of Oman studying its health system. It was founded in 1972, yet was ranked #1 in efficiency by the World Health Organization in its 2000 report. In less than 40 years, the mortality rate for children under age 5 fell from 181 per 1,000 live births to 11.1. Life expectancy rose from 49.3 to 74.3 years (between 1970 and 2005). And the national number of hospitals surged from two to 58. Ms. Allen’s research determined that the root cause for Oman’s extraordinary improvements in health care can be traced primarily to its use of five-year plans, clearly defined goals and measurable benchmarks. However, according to Allen, the real test now lies in how this system of development will perform through the coming decades. The International Injury Research Unit applauds the work of Ms. Allen and looks forward to continuing its support of innovative research projects around the world. _______________________________________________________ Head of Surgery Discusses Systematic Approach to Global Engagement during Visit Dr. James P. Neifeld, professor and chairman of the Department of Surgery at Virginia Commonwealth University, met with key members of the International Injury Research Unit today to discuss the role of the U.S. medical community abroad. Joined by Dr. Adnan Hyder of the Unit, along with Dr. Aruna Chandran and Dr. Kent Stevens, the group agreed that there are numerous benefits to giving U.S. medical professionals opportunities to study and work in other areas of the world. However, this endeavor must have a systematic approach, they agreed. Dr. Kent Stevens, a trauma surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital and an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, discussed his personal experience as a surgeon with interests in international research, particularly in Cameroon. The International Injury Research Unit welcomes future collaboration with Dr. Neifeld and Virginia Commonwealth University as both strive to reduce the impact and burden of injuries around the world.
Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the International Injury Research Unit, discusses injuries with Dr. Stevens and Dr. Neifeld. _______________________________________________________ Dr. Adnan Hyder Presents Findings at the Release of PAHO’s Regional Report on Road Safety Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the International Injury Research Unit, was featured today during the Pan American Health Organization’s long-anticipated release of the Regional Report on Road Safety. Dr. Hyder spoke about the economic as well as the social costs of global road injuries, citing research that makes the case for cost-effective interventions. The Regional Report on Road Safety surveyed 30 of the 34 countries in the Americas and gives leaders in the region a much-needed clearer picture not only of road safety data, but also of the interventions that are currently in place. Solutions such as speed control, alcohol laws, helmet use and seat belt enforcement are included in the analysis. Overall, the report revealed large variances in road injuries among countries, demonstrating the need for highly customized and locally supported solutions. Today’s meeting, held at PAHO’s headquarters in Washington, DC, also featured prominent guests such as Mirta Roses Periago, director of PAHO, and Nancy Carter-Foster, senior advisor for global health at the US Department of Health. PAHO is an international public health agency that has worked for more than 100 years to improve the health and living standards of the countries of the Americas. As global leaders enter the “Decade of Action for Road Safety,” which began this year, the report urges implementation of policies that promote safe, healthy and equitable movement on roads throughout the Americas.
Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the International Injury Research Unit, presents findings at the release of PAHO’s Regional Report on Road Safety. International Road Safety Highlighted in University Magazine The latest edition of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s magazine examines the “20 great research challenges for the new decade.” Due to increasing attention from world leaders, as well as recent groundbreaking research, international road safety tops the list. Throughout the article, Dr. Adnan Hyder discusses the International Injury Research Unit’s role in a new large-scale global road safety project funded by the Bloomberg Philanthropies. Over the next five years, the project will determine the effectiveness of specific road safety interventions in 10 low and middle-income countries. Emphasizing the need for strong support and active collaboration from local community leaders at each of the 10 sites, Dr. Hyder stated, “Education alone has not been found to make huge impacts in the absence of specific interventions and law enforcement, so enforcement is key.” Click here to read the full article.
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health features "Death on the Road" as one of the 20 great research challenges this decade. _______________________________________________________ CDC Officials Discuss Scalability of Injury Interventions with the International Injury Research Unit Dr. Grant Baldwin and Dr. Mick Ballesteros of the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention in the Centers for Disease Control’s Injury Center visited the International Injury Research Unit today during its regular meeting. As part of CDC’s increasing involvement in global health issues, Dr. Baldwin and Dr. Ballesteros discussed the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing, particularly in the area of international injury prevention. The group agreed that scalable, replicable interventions are critical for the future of the field. The Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention monitors trends in unintentional injuries, conducts research to better understand risk factors, and evaluates injury interventions. Its research and prevention programs focus on two categories: motor vehicle-related injuries, and home and recreation related injuries. Given its current work in road traffic safety and other injury-related research, the International Injury Research Unit anticipates that collaboration with the CDC will be mutually beneficial. The Unit looks forward to continuing this partnership as we work together toward reducing the burden of injuries around the world. _______________________________________________________ Dr. Sai Ma of the International Injury Research Unit Attends Child Mortality Symposium in Washington, DC On May 24, Dr. Sai Ma, a core faculty member of the International Injury Research Unit, participated in “Measuring the Progress on Maternal and Child Mortality: Data, Alternative Methods and Findings,” a symposium sponsored by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Highlighted by speakers from WHO, UNICEF and the World Bank, the symposium brought together top-level maternal and child health experts to discuss the most recent studies on maternal and child and mortality, as well as the policy implications for the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals for reducing child and maternal deaths by 2015. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation’s latest study on child mortality was a focal point of the day, emphasizing the need for accurate, more sophisticated child mortality measurement and data collection methods. Dr. Ma’s research interests include early childhood development, health disparities and injury prevention in developing countries, so the workshop proved useful for her continued work in these areas, and provided several new ideas for the evaluation of data sources for projects within the International Injury Research Unit.
Dr. Sai Ma _______________________________________________________ World Bank’s Lead Road Safety Specialist Discusses Transport-Health Sector Collaboration with the International Injury Research Unit The International Injury Research Unit today welcomed Tony Bliss of the World Bank to its regular meeting. Demonstrating an ever-increasing interest among global organizations in the issues of international injury prevention and, in particular, road safety, Mr. Bliss’ visit sparked a welcome exchange of ideas. Following presentations from Dr. Aruna Chandran (i.e., the International Injury Research Unit’s associate director of monitoring and surveillance) and Dr. David Bishai (i.e., the Unit’s senior technical advisor), the group brainstormed ideas for future collaboration between the transport and health sectors – which they agreed to be a critical juncture for international road safety and injury prevention work. Mr. Bliss is the lead road safety specialist in the Transport Division of the Energy, Transport and Water Department of the World Bank. His work focuses on the development and promotion of multi-sectoral strategies to improve road safety outcomes in low and middle-income countries. He is also leading the establishment of the World Bank Global Road Safety Facility, which is funding global and regional capacity building initiatives related to road safety. The International Injury Research Unit embraces this partnership as we work together toward reducing the burden of injuries around the world.
Dr. Adnan Hyder, director, International Injury Research Unit, and Tony Bliss, lead road safety specialist, World Bank, discuss injury research during an informative presentation given by Dr. Aruna Chandran, the Unit’s associate director of monitoring and surveillance. _______________________________________________________ Top State Department Official Discusses Road Injury with the International Injury Research Unit during Visit Ms. Carter-Foster is a senior advisor for Health Affairs for the U.S. Department of State in the office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science, Space and Health. She is responsible for identifying emerging health issues and making policy recommendations related to international health. Having worked in and led initiatives for a multitude of global health issues, including HIV/AIDS, women’s health, infectious diseases and diabetes, Ms. Carter-Foster’s resume is more than impressive. Ms. Carter-Foster currently chairs the Interagency Roundtable on Global Road Safety, so collaboration between Ms. Carter-Foster and the International Injury Research Unit is expected to be productive. The Unit looks forward to continuing this partnership as we work together toward reducing the burden of injuries around the world.
Nancy Carter-Foster, senior advisor, U.S. Department of State and Dr. Adnan Hyder, director, International Injury Research Unit, discuss road injury research. Dr. Prasanthi Puvanachandra, associate director, International Injury Research Unit, presents an overview of the International Injury Research Unit. _______________________________________________________ International Injury Research Unit Attends Local Maryland Safety Meeting On April 27, Alyssa Oliveri, communications manager for the International Injury Research Unit, participated in the quarterly meeting of the Partnership for a Safer Maryland. Formed in September of 2005, the mission of the Partnership is to advocate for injury and violence prevention, and promote education and surveillance, throughout the state of Maryland. Members run the gamut among local, state and federal agencies, universities and research institutions, injury care providers, and private, professional and nonprofit groups. Although IIRU's work focuses on international injury research, there are many advantages to collaboration and knowledge-sharing among our local partners. The mutual exchange of best practices will only benefit the work of injury research both here in the United States and worldwide. _______________________________________________________ IIRU and South Africa's Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RCCH) Kick Off a Two-Part Study to Explore Red Cross's Hospital-Based Pediatric Trauma Registry The International Injury Research Unit at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in collaboration with the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa recently began a study to explore the design, implementation, and utilization of Red Cross's pediatric trauma registry. Since 1991, Red Cross's Trauma Unit has developed and maintained a computerized database of all injured children under the age of 13 years that presented to the Trauma Unit at the Red Cross Children's Hospital. Through the establishment of this trauma registry, now nearly two decades ago, and the development of a dedicated trauma unit for children (the only one of its kind in Africa) and Childsafe South Africa, a non-governmental organization committed to the prevention of childhood trauma, the Red Cross Children's Hospital has been fundamental in pioneering safety concerns for children in South Africa. IIRU has partnered with RCCH to learn from their twenty year experience of collecting and applying data to better understand childhood injury. Dr. Hadley Herbert, a post-doctoral fellow at IIRU is coordinating the study, and Prof. Sebastian van As, MD, PhD (Sebastian.vanas@uct.ac.za), Director of the Red Cross's Trauma Unit, is directing it in South Africa. The first phase will quantitatively evaluate trends in the hospital's incidence of child injury over a ten year period from 1995 to 2005. The study's second phase will consist of qualitative interviews with key stakeholders and focus groups to explore how the registry has impacted injury prevention programming. Through these methods, this study will explore how trauma registries can better inform cost-effective and sustainable pediatric trauma care improvements. By working with Red Cross Hospital as a hub for pediatric trauma, findings from this study have the potential to be applied to other trauma registries in low and middle income countries. For more information, please contact Dr. Herbert (hherbert2@jhu.edu).
Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa _______________________________________________________ Get Drivers in Developing Countries to Slow Down "There are 1.2 million of people who die annually from road traffic deaths. And that is only the deaths," says Dr. Adnan Hyder, director of the International Injury Research Unit in the Department of International Health. Johns Hopkins Magazine posed the following question to 100 researchers from the Bloomberg School of Public Health: If you had a million dollars for health, what would be the best way to spend it? Among the many admirable-and cost effective-interventions, including vaccinations for young children, micronutrients for mothers and newborns, tobacco taxes and bed nets, we find get[ing] drivers in developing countries to slow down. "Worldwide, the single leading cause of serious injuries is traffic crashes. Especially on the roads and highways of developing nations, vehicular crashes have become a major public health issue. The biggest problems are alcohol and speed, especially the later. And what's more is that most of these injuries could be avoided if speed and drink-driving laws were enforced," says Dr. Hyder, who is now leading the School's effort on Michael Bloomberg's $125 million Global Road Safety Program in ten countries. Dr. Adnan Hyder suggests spending the money on speed control - speed bumps, at less than $10 per disability adjusted life year averted, are on example of a cost effective intervention, along with random alcohol testing, wearing helmets and seatbelts. For more information please see The Buck Goes Here at Johns Hopkins Magazine. _______________________________________________________ IIRU joined the Global Road Safety Decade of Action Working Group Meeting On February 24th, 2010, the working group meeting for Global Road Safety Decade of Action (2011-2020) was held in Washington, DC. IIRU was invited to attend this conference organized by the FIA Foundation. The objectives of this meeting were to disseminate information from First Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety held in Moscow in November 2009, and identify strategies for the Decade of Action and mechanisms for continued coordination of activities. Over seventy representatives from governmental sectors, private sectors and non-governmental organizations participated in the meeting. In the opening presentation, Nancy Carter-Foster from U.S. Department of State called for greater international collaboration and cooperation in support of increased global road safety and reducing the number of life lost due to road crashes. Dr. David Sleet from Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) addressed the burden of road traffic injuries around the world and the importance of injury surveillance. In reframing road infrastructure and land use, speakers in the panel discussion suggested the governments should raise public awareness, develop capacity and set a goal of intervention for institutions to follow. Panelists stated that road safety is a development priority and highlighted the need to accelerate the transfer of knowledge to low and middle-income countries, and to help scale up their road safety investment to unprecedented levels. Another panel discussed that all-inclusive approaches to road safety should include technology and the proper training to implement technologies, including collection and use of statistics, low cost safety improvements, safety toolkits and pedestrian safety. At the conclusion of the meeting, all NGO representatives agreed that 1) infrastructure, 2) vehicle safety, 3) police enforcement and 4) technical assistance & management system are the key points to develop sustainable strategies for Decade of Action. IIRU looks forward to working with partners in the global road safety community and contributing towards a successful Decade of Action. _______________________________________________________ IIRU-affiliated Faculty Received Two Faculty Awards Two faculty in the International Injury Research Unit are among ten faculty members who received pilot grants from the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health to support their proposed global health projects. Thirty-one applicants competed for the grants. Aruna Chandran, Assistant Scientist in Health Systems/International Health, will work with IIRU on developing EMS and injury surveillance systems in Pakistan. Sai Ma, Assistant Scientist in Population Family and Reproductive Health, will work with IIRU in exploring the burden of injuries in China that require hospitalization. Many congratulations to both of our colleagues for two achievements: getting the award and raising the profile of international injury research. For more information, please see Faculty Grants in Global Health. _______________________________________________________ Press Release: Adnan A. Hyder to Lead Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Effort on Michael Bloomberg's $125 million Global Road Safety Program The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s International Injury Research Unit (IIRU) and Center for Injury Research and Policy today announced that Adnan A. Hyder, MD, PhD, MPH, associate professor with the Bloomberg School’s Department of International Health and director of the IIRU, will lead the School’s effort on Michael Bloomberg’s $125 million Global Road Safety Program. The IIRU will join forces with five partner organizations, including the World Health Organization, to implement and coordinate activities with local governmental and non-governmental organizations in 10 countries to avert injuries and fatalities caused by road traffic crashes. “This is an excellent opportunity and a superb group of partners to develop and implement strategies for reducing the extraordinary number of preventable traffic-related injuries and fatalities worldwide,” Hyder said. The new gift is the largest single donation for international road safety to date. All the resources for the five-year program are dedicated outside the United States and will be focused on 10 low- and middle-income countries that have a high burden of road traffic injuries and fatalities, representing almost half (48 percent) of traffic deaths globally. Robert E. Black, MD, MPH, professor and chair of the Bloomberg School’s Department of International Health, welcomes the opportunity for his Department to advance the research on such a burgeoning public health problem. “Dr. Hyder and his team have already made great contributions to this field with very limited resources,” said Black. “The Bloomberg Global Road Safety Program is exactly what’s needed to energize the public health community about a problem that unduly affects developing countries.” Michael J. Klag, MD, MPH, dean of the Bloomberg School, said he appreciated the significance of Mayor Bloomberg’s investment: “The Bloomberg Global Road Safety Program highlights the toll of over a million preventable global deaths from road traffic injuries, and signifies outstanding leadership in global health philanthropy that has maximum impact.” Andrea Gielen, ScD, ScM, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Bloomberg School, where Hyder is also a core faculty member, added, “We are delighted at this significant investment in global road safety and believe that the entire field of injury prevention and control will benefit from this program.” Hyder will lead a team from IIRU that will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the activities of the Bloomberg Global Road Safety Program, focusing on health, economic and social measures in the 10 priority countries. They will also develop and conduct a training program in road traffic injury prevention for public health professionals in these countries. The five other partner organizations are the World Health Organization, EMBARQ (World Resources Institute), the World Bank Global Road Safety Facility, Global Road Safety Partnership and the Association for Safe International Road Travel. IIRU Welcomes Results of the Moscow Ministerial Conference on Global Road Safety The Ministerial summit in Moscow was a hugely significant turning point for global road safety. The Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit (IIRU) is greatly encouraged by the meeting and key developments for global road safety. The Moscow Declaration approved by the First Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety endorses a UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, and establishes the basis for a global governmental framework for road safety, with the generous commitment of the Sultanate of Oman to host a second Ministerial in five years time. "This is an unprecedented acknowledgement by the international community of the seriousness of the lives lost on global roads", said Dr. Hyder, IIRU's director. The Statement of a Shared Approach to Managing Road Safety from the World Bank and the six leading multilateral development banks (the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank) is a powerful and unequivocal pledge to make road safety a priority in the banks operations. "This represents the kind of leadership that can work towards major investments" said Dr. Puvanachandra, lead IIRU faculty for training. Dr. Tran, lead IIRU faculty for policy commented, "working together the global community is close to achieving a breakthrough". "Now governments, UN agencies, NGOs and all actors in the road safety community must take forward the momentum gained", said Dr. Chandran, lead IIRU faculty on child injuries. We must also redouble our efforts to secure the political and financial support necessary to build national road safety capacity and plans, and to implement the proven life-saving road safety interventions that could save millions of lives in the years ahead. _______________________________________________________ IIRU Engages on the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims The theme for 2009 - From global remembrance to global action - Road crashes are the leading cause of violent deaths and injuries worldwide and during the third week of November, attention will focus on the urgent need to address this public health and development issue: the World Day of Remembrance is calling for global action, while the first ever Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, which takes place on 19-20 November in Moscow will debate road safety plans for the next decade 2010 – 2020: a Decade of Action! By drawing attention to the devastation caused by sudden bereavement and injury through a road crash and the high cost to families, communities and countries, the World Remembrance Day fulfils an important role, not only through offering acknowledgement of their suffering to road crash victims, but also by supporting, at the same time, the planned global actions. IIRU joins the global community in this endeavor and supports the World Day of Remembrance. _______________________________________________________ IIRU at the Bone and Joint Decade A global network conference of bone and joint decade was held on Oct 22-24 in Washington DC. The meeting, which is hosted by USBJD, highlighted the significance of musculoskeletal conditions and raised the awareness to advanced prevention and treatment. Dr. David Huang was present as the representative of International Injury Research Unit. Road traffic injury is the central focus of the trauma and injury strategic planning specialty group. In the panel discussion, Dr. Bruce Browner (Bone and joint decade) indicated the increasing burden of road traffic injuries in low- and middle-income countries where 90% of deaths due to RTIs occurred. Oman’s UN Permanent Ambassador Fuad Al-Hinai, who brought road safety into the fore of United Nations, said Member States had unanimously emphasized that road traffic injuries posted a global health crisis requiring “an urgent national and international action.” Ms. Nancy-Carter Foster, speaking for the U.S State Department called for the effort and international collaboration on road safety. She highlighted “Losses due to road traffic injuries are preventable- we should not take them for granted, and we should not accept road crashes and their costs in human lives as the price we pay for mobility or for economic growth and development.” The Bone and Joint Decade trauma and injury strategic planning specialty group selected road traffic crashes as one of the priority issues to improve in trauma care and treatment capabilities through global collaborative programs. Lack of funding in WHO program, poor infrastructure, manpower shortages and insufficient emergency services in most LMICs are the major barriers to lessen the burden of RTIs. To maximize the efforts, BJD encouraged more surgeons involved at WHO level, UN and other international organizations so that appropriate attention is given to the trauma care of RTI victims. For more information, please visit BJD. _______________________________________________________ Advancing Ancillary Care in Developing Countries Many studies have offered recommendations on how to improve ancillary care in clinical settings but few have examined the role this crucial care plays in public health research. Ancillary care is care needed by research participants, but not necessary to ensure scientific validity, prevent study-related harms, or address study-related injuries. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggest that current literature and recommendations established to help researchers and sponsors act on ancillary care obligations often fail to consider studies in which the primary unit of research interest is a group. Their commentary is published in the July 22, 2009, issue of JAMA. “Ancillary care applies to public health research, not only clinical research,” said Adnan Hyder, MD, PhD, MPH, lead author of the paper and an associate professor with the Bloomberg School’s Department of International Health and the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics. “After reviewing several of the larger and most widely accepted papers on ancillary care we noticed this disconnect, as none of the literature included public health research. In this commentary we began to examine how ancillary care might play out in public health research, especially in developing countries, and found that current research is constrained by several issues.” Dr. Hyder, along with Maria Merritt, PhD, co-author of the paper and an assistant professor in the Bloomberg School’s Department of International Health and Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, outlined three limitations in current ancillary care research. Current research fails to examine ancillary care in dealing with groups as the unit of interest (existing accounts of the ancillary care obligation often assume that all relevant health needs are defined with respect to individuals only); the criteria for assessing the strength of ancillary care claims (international investigators and sponsors with access to external resources might have a stronger obligation to support local health systems where they are conducting research); and defining a process for consideration of ancillary care researchers (an operational approach to identifying candidate ancillary care needs outlined in a 10-step process). To assess the strength of participant groups’ claims on researchers and sponsors to meet those needs and fulfill specified ancillary care obligations, Dr. Hyder and Dr. Merritt recommend the following: * Understand the goals and objectives of the research study _______________________________________________________ WHO Report Examines Global Road Safety Approximately 1.3 million people die each year on the world's roads, and between 20 and 50 million sustain non-fatal injuries, according to a new report on global road safety issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). The report, which was funded by the Bloomberg Philanthropies, is the first broad assessment of the road safety situation in 178 countries, using data drawn from a standardized survey. The results suggest that nearly half of those killed on roads are vulnerable road users (pedestrians, motorcyclists, bicyclists) and the rates of death from road crashes are much higher in low-income than high-income countries. In many countries road safety laws need to be made more comprehensive, while enforcement should be strengthened. The report was released in New York on June 15 by Michael Bloomberg, head of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Mayor of New York City, and Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. Adnan A. Hyder, MD, PhD, associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and director of the International Injury Research Unit, participated in the official announcement of the report. He was featured in 5-minute video, which illustrated the significance and scope of the global road safety challenges. You can watch the video here. The complete WHO report is available here. _______________________________________________________ Dr. Adnan Hyder Featured in Johns Hopkins Public Health Magazine "A World of Hurt: Global Injuries" Story by Christine Grillo, Johns Hopkins Public Health magazine, Summer 2009 In the developing world, children sustain injuries largely unfamiliar in high-income countries: They’re burned while cooking on unsafe stoves, they drown by falling into uncovered wells, and they’re poisoned by the kerosene used for lamp fuel. “Globally, the high burden of injuries has been neglected,” says Dr. Adnan Hyder, associate professor in International Health. “Injury prevention has been difficult to integrate into public health in a meaningful way because it’s not considered a ‘disease.’” Additional obstacles to reducing injuries in developing countries include a lack of data and advocates, as well as a traditional perception of injuries as acts of fate beyond human control. The word “accident” itself implies a lack of control, which is why experts in injury prevention don’t like to use it. But injury ranks high among killers of children, alongside diarrhea, pneumonia, tuberculosis and malaria, and Dr. Hyder wants injury prevention mainstreamed into the public health agenda. Hyder, MD, PhD ’98, MPH ’93, believes there is another essential element to injury prevention—increasing awareness of injury as a social justice issue. “The poorer you are, the more likely you are to get injured, and the care for your injury is worse,” he says. Children in Africa, for example, suffer unintentional injury at a rate of 53 per 100,000; in countries such as Australia, Sweden, United Kingdom and Canada, the rate is about five per 100,000. WHO and UNICEF published the first World Report on Child Injury Prevention in December 2008. The report, which Dr. Hyder co-edited, outlines intervention strategies—well covers, window guards, motorcycle helmets and nontip lanterns—and policies such as speed limits, playground standards and urban design that mandates sidewalks. Already, the report has generated discussion about interventions. For example, in Vietnam, where many children ride motorcycles but few wear helmets, there is research under way to produce affordable child helmets that meet safety standards. As director of the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit in International Health, and a core faculty member of the Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP), Dr. Hyder touts the cost-effectiveness of interventions. A recent IIRU study of poisoning among South African children looked at kerosene stored in old soda or juice bottles. It found that distributing child-resistant containers for kerosene storage was effective at preventing poisoning. “People think you can’t do anything about injury, and that it’s too expensive,” says Dr. Hyder, “but that is a myth.” Injury in the U.S. Although they face different types of injuries than children in developing countries, American children remain at great risk. Injury is the leading cause of death for children in the U.S., and the millions of nonfatal injuries cost society an estimated $50 billion annually. For poor children, globally and nationally, the burden is worse. CIRP director Andrea Gielen and colleagues have done research showing that the injury rate for low-income children in Baltimore is twice the national rate. One explanation for the gap is that low-income families often do not have access to safe environments, products and information that can protect them from injuries. Since 1987, U.S. deaths from unintentional injury have dropped dramatically—43 percent for children ages 0 to 14—as a result of education, safety product development, policy change, research and other measures. “The good news about this field,” says Gielen, ScD ‘89, ScM ’79, professor of Health, Behavior and Society, “is that we don’t have to hunt for a gene. We know a great deal about the causes of injury, and we have already identified many of the solutions. Our challenge is to get them implemented. Injury prevention products such as smoke detectors, bike helmets and cabinet latches are cheap and work well. But who should pay for their large-scale implementation? That question plagues David Bishai, PFRH associate professor and core faculty in IIRU and CIRP. In countries with nationalized health care systems, the government pays for medical care and therefore has a financial interest in preventing injuries. In the U.S., though, managed care organizations (MCOs), not the government, bear the costs. So shouldn’t MCOs want to invest in injury prevention? Not necessarily, says Bishai, a health economist. “There’s too much turnover,” he says. On average, a person switches to a new MCO every five years. Some interventions, such as alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs, pay off in the short-run. But other interventions—smoke detectors, for example—need to be in place much longer before they pay off. “There’s no incentive for MCOs to invest in long-term prevention,” Bishai says. Real progress in injury prevention may require a sea change, says Bishai. A single-payer universal health care system or portable lifelong private insurance contracts would solve the problem. “With the new [presidential] administration, these options are on the table this year,” he says. _______________________________________________________ International Injury Prevention Symposium Series to Focus on Injury Surveillance Systems In most developing countries, the lack of data collection on the size of injury problem has augmented this historical neglect, as a result of avoidable events. In order to develop effective prevention strategies, we need better information on the burden of injuries and violence around the world. This symposium is aimed at those interested in international injury prevention, trauma care, research and data collection to learn from injury surveillance experience around the world. For more information about this symposium, please click here. _______________________________________________________ Dr. Adnan Hyder Releases "Child injuries and violence: responding to a global challenge" with WHO To read the full bulletin, please click here. |
