Education
MS, Towson State University, 1992
BS, Towson State University, 1985
Overview
Eileen McDonald (she/her) has research interests at the intersection of health education, health communication and injury control. Exploring the use of new technologies to enhance patient education (AI, computer tailoring) and using experiential teaching techniques (role-playing, simulated patients, computer learning) to enhance physician patient education skills -- all focused on enhancing injury prevention counseling messages received by parents of young children -- is just one example of how these three areas merge in actual practice. The newest technology to be tested for its impact on parents' safety practices is a web-based program and smart phone application to provide personalized and tailored information to parents of young children about a variety of injury prevention topics. The program, Safety in Seconds (SIS) 2.0, was tested in a randomized clinical trial in pediatric emergency departments in Baltimore, MD and Little Rock, AR and is now available free to the public.
As part of both her research and practice portfolio, McDonald directs Children’s Safety Center, a first-of-its kind safety resource center pioneered at Johns Hopkins in 1997 and identified by the CDC as a public health “success story.” Her current research projects explore the link between housing quality and pediatric injury, enhancing patient engagement among those attending a pain management clinic, and an intervention trial making home renovations to reduce pediatric injuries. Current service programs include working with: child death review and injury prevention specialists to develop data-driven and evidence-informed pediatric injury prevention recommendations, and fire department leadership to enhance fire and life safety prevention activities.
Last but not least, McDonald directs both the MSPH and the joint Bachelor's-MSPH in health education and health communication. She leads a three term seminar series for first year students and a monthly seminar series for second year students. Professional development roles include participation on a number of professional association boards and committees, and the creation of presentations and publications, such as workshops, replication guides, and orientation guides to be used by health educators and others interested in developing their own injury prevention centers.
Honors and Awards
2017 Excellence in Public Health Practice, Baltimore, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
2004 Mohan Signh Award, Public Health Education and Health Promoton, American Public Health Association
1998 Early Career Award, Public Health Education and Health Promotion, American Public Health Association.
1992 Professional Development Award, Towson University, Towson, Maryland.
1985 Department of Health Science Award, Towson University, Towson, Maryland.