DEPARTMENT: Environmental Health/Behavioral Science and Health Education
COURSE NUMBER: EH 580/BSHE 591M
SECTION NUMBER: 000
SEMESTER: Fall 2016
CREDIT HOURS: 2
COURSE TITLE: Injury Prevention and Control
LOCATION: Grace Crum Rollins, Room 115
MEETING TIME Mondays 3 - 4:50pm
INSTRUCTOR NAME: Lisa Dawson, co-facilitator Mike Smith
Syllabus last updated:160822
INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION
EMAIL: [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected]
PHONE: 404-202-7555
SCHOOL ADDRESS OR MAILBOX LOCATION: N/A
OFFICE HOURS: By appointment. I can usually meet before class and other times with some advance planning.
BRIEF COURSE DESCRIPTION
EH 580/BSHE 591M is a basic course in injury prevention and control designed to introduce public health
students to basic epidemiologic concepts of injury prevention and control, to the epidemiology of various
types of injury, and to the public health approach to controlling or eliminating injuries using concepts of
engineering, enforcement, and education (environmental modification and behavior modification). This
class features content experts from CDC and other local agencies, as well as student-generated case
studies. The following book will be used in this course, but not required: Injury Prevention and Public
Health: Practical Knowledge, Skills, and Strategies, 2nd Edition by Tom Christoffel and Susan Scavo
Gallagher. There will be additional articles and readings, which will be posted on Blackboard.
LIST SCHOOL LEVEL, DEPARTMENT, AND/ OR PROGRAM COMPETENCIES
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Describe environmental conditions, including biological, physical and chemical factors, that affect
the health of individuals, communities and populations
Describe major environmental risks to human health ranging from the local to global scale
Design environmental health programs, policies, interventions and/or research intended to improve
the health of individuals, communities, and populations
Describe the use of epidemiology methods to study the etiology and control of disease and injury in
populations
Explain major policy issues in environmental health including regulatory frameworks
Describe behavioral, social, and cultural factors that contribute to the health and well-being of
individuals, communities and populations
Plan effective health education programs
Evaluate the effectiveness of health education programs
Coordinate the provision of health education services
Act as a resource person in health education
Communicate health education needs, concerns and resources
Apply appropriate research principles and methods in health education
Advance the profession of public health
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LIST LEARNING OBJECTIVES ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPETENCIES
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
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Describe the impact of injuries on health and on society in terms of mortality, morbidity,
disability, and cost
Discuss what is meant by the terms injury prevention and injury control
Describe the epidemiology of unintentional and intentional injuries including etiology and risk
and protective factors for groups for major causes
Identify public health strategies for the primary prevention and control of injuries
Apply injury prevention tools and principles towards the prevention and control of injuries, and
other public health problems
EVALUATION
Students will be evaluated through (1) three short essay assignments based on class content and related
readings, (2) an injury case study to be discussed in class, (3) a critical reflection essay related to your
injury case study, (4) a final critical reflection assignment, and (5) participation. Refer to individual
assignment instructions for guidance around completing assignments.
Final course grades will be calculated as follows:
40% Essay Assignment Average (the average of the two highest grades will be used)
30% Injury Case Study (15%) and Case Study Critical Reflection (15%)
10% Final Critical Reflection (due Dec. 3rd )
20% Class participation (discussion in class and attendance)
ACADEMIC HONOR CODE
The RSPH requires that all material submitted by a student in fulfilling his or her academic course of study must be
the original work of the student.
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COURSE TOPICS & READING ASSIGNMENTS
Course Session 1
Topics:
Readings
Course Session 2
Topics:
Readings
August 22nd Lisa Dawson and Mike Smith
Introductions and Course overview
Injury overview
 Describe why injuries are considered a public health problem
 Understand the difference between an injury and an accident
 Describe the differences between unintentional and intentional
injuries
 Describe age, gender, ethnicity groups at risk
 Explain principle causes of injury
Chapter 1, 2,
August 29th – Lisa Dawson and Mike Smith
 Understand public health approach to injury prevention and
control
 Understand and explain Haddon Matrix
 Explain the injury pyramid
 Understand the interaction between the “E’s”
Chapter 6
Course Session 3
Topics:
September 12th – Mike Smith
Injury Prevention in the Context of Environmental Health
 Define Environmental Health Approach
 Understand intersections with Injury Prevention and EH
 Identify EH and IP examples
Utilize framework for remaining classes
Readings
Chapter 8
Course Session 4
Topics:
September 19th – John Carter
Injury Epidemiology and Surveillance
 Define surveillance
 Understand data sources for injury surveillance
 Understand purposes and limitations of injury surveillance
 Understand differences in unintentional and intentional injury
surveillance
Chapter 3, 12
Readings
Injury Surveillance Guidelines, CDC & WHO, 2004 (on blackboard)
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Course Session 5
Topics:
Readings
September 27th
Course Session 6
Topics:
Readings
September 27th - Judy Stevens
Unintentional Injuries - Falls among Older Adults
 Describe the epidemiology of falls including the impact in
terms of deaths, nonfatal injuries, costs and quality of life.
 Identify 6 major fall risk factors and rate their relative
importance.
 Identify the effective elements of a fall prevention program.
 Describe three challenges for older adults when considering a
fall prevention program.
Short Essay Assignment 1 posted
October 3rd - Sara Patterson
Injury control policy
 Understand the use of policy in injury prevention and control
 Describe the policy development and enactment process
 Understand the issues behind legislation
 Cite examples of effective injury control policies
Chapters 9,14
NYT, Saletan, W (2012), Why won’t they listen? “The Righteous
Mind,” by Jonathan Haidt (on Blackboard)
APHA, Injury and Violence Prevention: Policy Lessons from the Field
(on Blackboard)
October 10th Holiday
Course Session 7
Reading:
October 17th – Tom Simon
Intentional injuries- Interpersonal Violence
 Describe the magnitude of interpersonal violence
 Identify high risk groups for various types of interpersonal
violence
 Understand the social ecology of risk and protective factors
 Cite examples of evidence-based interventions
Chapter 5
Violence as a Public Health Risk, 2011 (on Blackboard)
Course Session 8
Topics:
October 24th - Adam Pomerleau
Unintentional Injuries- Poisonings
 Understand the emerging epidemic of prescription drug
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overdoses
Describe the epidemiology of unintentional poisonings
Describe various interventions for poisoning prevention and
treatment
Describe data sources for poisoning research and surveillance
Reading
Patterns of Drug Abuse, JAMA 2008 (on Blackboard)
Drug Poisoning Deaths in the U.S. – 1980 - 2008 (on Blackboard)
Pediatrics Brief Research report (on Blackboard)
For reference/Optional Reading
2010 National Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Strategy (on
Blackboard)
Short Essay Assignment 2 posted
Course Session 9
Topic:
October 31st – Bob Dallas
Unintentional Injuries – Motor Vehicle Collisions
 Describe the epidemiology of motor vehicle collisions
 Describe various interventions for transport injuries
 Describe data sources for transport injury research
 Describe the use and success of various engineering and policy
interventions in the reduction of motor vehicle collisions
Readings
Chapter 4 (review pages 79-83)
Analysis of significant decline in motor vehicle fatalities (on
blackboard)
Trends in non-fatal traffic injuries (on blackboard)
Course Session 10
Topics:
Readings
November 7th– Alex Crosby
Intentional Injuries- Self-harm/suicide
 Describe the magnitude of suicidal behaviors
 Identify high risk groups for suicidal behaviors
 Identify risk and protective factors for suicide in various age
groups
 Cite examples of useful interventions to prevent suicide
Risk and Protective factors for Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour: a
Literature Review. Joanne McLean, Margaret Maxwell, Stephen Platt,
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Fiona Harris, Ruth Jepson. Scottish Government Social Research.
Edinborough. 2008.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/11/28141444/0
Goldsmith SK, Pellmar TC, Kleinman AM, Bunney WE, eds.
Reducing Suicide: A National Imperative. Washington, DC:
NationalAcademy Press: 2002.
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309083214 – Read
Executive Summary
Krug EG, Dahlberg LL, Mercy JA, Zwi AB, Lozano R, eds. World
Report on Violence and Health. Suicide Chapter. Geneva: World
Health Organization; 2002.
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2002/9241545615_eng.pdf Read Chapter 7 on self-directed violence
Course Session 11
Topics:
Readings
November 14th– Maureen Thompson
Occupational Injuries
 Recognize occupations with high rates of serious injury
and understand the complexity of common musculoskeletal
injuries reported by workers
 Understand the principles of Workers' Compensation
 Compare and contrast the levels of occupational injury
prevention, and understand why prevention interventions may
not be effective
 Understand how occupational injury prevention works at the
organizational level
Chapter 4 (review pages 88-89)
Dembe AE, Erickson JB, Delbos RG, Banks SM. The impact of
overtime and long work hours on occupational injuries and illnesses:
new evidence from the United States. Occup Environ Med. 2005
Sep;62(9):588-97. (on Blackboard)
Smith GS, Wellman HM, Sorock GS, Warner M, Courtney TK,
Pransky GS, Fingerhut LA. Injuries at work in the US adult
population: contributions to the total injury burden. Am J Public
Health. 2005 Jul;95(7):1213-9. (on Blackboard)
Course Session
12
Topic:
November 21st - Blog Entries by class and review and response by
Liz Head, Victoria Helmly and Pat King
Injuries to Older and Vulnerable Adults
 Understand the epidemiology of both intentional and
unintentional injuries to this population in the US (by sex, age
group, race/ethnicity, location, etc)
 Understand effective strategies for prevention
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Reading:
Understand the concept of self determination
https://www.alz.org/documents/national/Fallsrestraints_litereview_II.pdf
http://www.alz.org/documents_custom/public-health/ph-spotlight092013.pdf
Course Session 13
Topics:
November 28th –Julie Gilchrist
Unintentional injuries - Drowning
 Understand the epidemiology of drowning in the US (by sex,
age group, race/ethnicity, location, etc)
 Understand effective strategies for drowning prevention
 Understand the burden, location, causes and prevention of
drowning in the US vs. other countries
Readings
MMWR – Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Drowning, 1999-2010 (on
Blackboard)
MMWR –Drowning, 2005-2009 (on Blackboard)
AAP Technical report on the prevention of drowning – 2010 (on
Blackboard)
Male Drowning Victims Howland 1996 (on Blackboard)
Griffin et al. 2006 AJSM (on Blackboard)
Chapter 4 (review pages 84-85)
Short Essay Assignment 3 posted; FINAL CRITICAL REFLECTION DUE December 5th
Course Session 14
Topic:
December 5th - Julie Gilchrist
Unintentional injuries - Sports and Recreational Injuries
 Understand the epidemiology of sports injuries and the role for
prevention
 Describe various interventions for prevention of sports and
recreational injuries
 Describe data sources for sports and recreational injuries
 Describe current research and research needs for sports and
recreational injuries
Readings
MMWR - Nonfatal Traumatic Brain Injuries Related to Sports and
Recreation Activities Among Persons Aged ≤19 Years --- United
States, 2001—2009 (on Blackboard)
MMWR - Sports-Related Injuries Among High School Athletes --7
United States, 2005--06 School Year (on Blackboard)
Short Essay Assignment 3 posted; FINAL CRITICAL REFLECTION DUE December
5th
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