Program of Work
The work of the International Injury Research Unit currently focuses on the following four key areas in strong collaborations with partners:
1. Promotion of Strategic Research
There is a dearth of literature, especially in low- and middle-income countries, documenting the magnitude of the burden and risks for injury. As a consequence, injuries continue to be a low priority for health planners and policymakers in these countries. To address this gap, IIRU is working to understand and document the burden and risks, as well as the perceptions and beliefs of communities related to injuries and disabilities.

• Studies on community perceptions and beliefs on injuries in Bangladesh and Malaysia. An in-depth exploration of childhood drowning in Bangladesh: examining community perceptions and practices. Social Science & Medicine. Volume 68, Issue 9, May 2009, Pages 1720-1727
• Development and testing of surveillance systems in Bangladesh, Egypt, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Uganda.Childhood unintentional injuries surveillance in developing countries: a multi-country pilot study. Bull World Health Organ 2009;87:345–352
• Development and testing of instruments for disability measurement in Uganda

2. Implementation of Field Trials and Evaluation Studies
Although there are intervention strategies for the prevention of injuries that are used in high income countries, very few have been successfully adapted and tested in low- and middle-income countries. IIRU is collaborating with local researchers to conduct field trials of interventions in order to understand the effectiveness and process of implementing injury interventions in LMIC settings. Additionally, IIRU works to monitor and evaluate the impact of existing public health programs in conjunction with local partners. Field trial of visibility enhancementmaterials for the prevention of motorcycle crashes in Malaysia.

• Engaging policymakers in road safety research in Malaysia: a theoretical and contextual analysis. Health Policy, 2008; Oct 18
• Intervention study of drowning prevention interventions in Bangladesh. Childhood drowning in low- and middle-income countries: Urgent need for intervention trials. J Paediatr Child Health. 2008 Apr;44(4):221-7
• Evaluation of childhood road safety education programs in Malaysia

3. Economic and Policy Analysis
To provide decision makers with increased tools and evidence for the allocation of resources and planning of health programs, IIRU conducts economic analyses to document the economic burden of injuries as well as to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and benefit-to-cost ratio of interventions for injury prevention. IIRU also works to strengthen the research-policy interaction in low- and middle-income countries.

• Cost-effectiveness analysis of interventions for injury prevention globally. Modeling the cost effectiveness of injury interventions in lower- and middle-income countries: opportunities and challenges.Cost Eff Resour Alloc. 2006 Jan 19;4(1):2

• Engaging policy makers in road safety research in Pakistan andMalaysia. Integrating ethics, health policy and health systems in low- and middle-income countries: case studies fromMalaysia and Pakistan. Bull World Health Organ. 2008 Aug;86(8):606-11.
• Return on investment analysis for public health authorities in the Middle East

4. Research Capacity Development in LMIC
To ensure the long-term sustainability of its work, IIRU works with research institutes, academic institutions, and other partners in low- and middle-income countries to develop the capacity of local researchers to carry out injury research. This is done through the joint organization of conferences, training workshops as well as through formal exchanges with universities in low- and middle-income countries. Recognizing the need to view injury prevention under a multi-sectoral lens, IIRU also engages with nonacademic professionals, the governmental sector, and the private sector.

• Johns Hopkins-Aga Khan University-Fogarty International Collaborative Trauma and Injury & Research Training Program. Deliberate self-harm and suicide: a review from Pakistan. Int J Inj Contr Saf Promot. 2008 Dec;15(4):233-41
• Johns Hopkins-Aga Khan University Research Ethics Project. Capacity building in research ethics and for research on ethics.
• Internet-based, long distance training for professionals in low- and middle-income countries. MENTOR-VIP: piloting a global mentoring program for injury and violence prevention. Academic Medicine. Vol. 84, No. 6 / June 2009
• Development and testing of surveillance systems in Bangladesh, Egypt, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Uganda.Childhood unintentional injuries surveillance in developing countries: a multi-country pilot study. BullWorld Health Organ 2009;87:345–352
• Development and testing of instruments for disability measurement in Uganda