August 16, 1999 The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health today announced the launch of a web site designed to collect injury data directly from thousands of skiers and snowboarders worldwide who have been injured on the slopes. The first study of its kind, the project is designed to uncover the specific circumstances that increase a person's risk of injury by comparing harmless falls to falls that cause injury. Participants answer a series of questions about the details of the fall they had and its consequences. A sample of the study's most pertinent results will be updated weekly and posted on the website. Jeffrey Hadley, PhD, an epidemiologist with the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, said, "This study will provide an abundance of new information on steps the individual skier or snowboarder can take to prevent an injury." Dr. Hadley added, "It has the clear potential to collect information about many thousands of injuries and falls worldwide in a relatively short period of time, setting the stage for an unprecedented examination of many possible risk factors that may contribute to the likelihood of a ski or snowboarding injury." Public Affairs Media Contacts for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Tim Parsons or Kenna Brigham @ 410-955-6878 or paffairs@jhsph.edu. | 
