An Overview of CDC’s Unintentional Injury Prevention Program 2000–2001

In recent years, injury prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has experienced tremendous change and growth. In December 2000, Sue Binder, MD, was appointed the new director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (Injury Center), charting a new course for the injury program. Working with key partners and constituents, CDC’s injury prevention scientists and program staff participated in an 18-month process to produce the CDC Injury Research Agenda. In this document, CDC articulates its highest priorities in injury prevention, focusing on the research that will rapidly affect how we prevent injuries and reduce their consequences. The agenda will serve as a guide for injury prevention research at the agency, and we have implemented staffing changes and strategies to streamline research and program activities accordingly.

In the midst of these changes, our mission in unintentional injury prevention remains: to save lives and reduce the number and severity of unintentional injuries that occur outside of occupational settings through science-based applied research and prevention programs. Over the last few years, CDC has reshaped its unintentional injury priorities to focus attention, staffing, and financial resources on four critical injury areas: residential fire-related injuries, injuries resulting from alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes, older adult fall injuries, and injuries to older drivers. These priorities are consistent with those of the larger injury program. While we continue to address other unintentional injuries, including pedestrian and bicycle safety and injuries resulting from sports and recreation activities, our priorities occupy our greatest attention and resources. 

I will highlight just a few of the many unintentional injury prevention activities CDC has 
advanced during 2000–2001, the years of this report. In 2001, the U.S. Fire Administration, within the Federal Emergency Management Agency; the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission; and CDC issued a challenge to the United States—to eliminate residential fire deaths by 2020. Together, we began planning a national campaign, and by spring 2002, we had gathered partners from other federal and state agencies as well as the private sector to outline the steps needed to achieve this bold and ambitious goal see page 31 for more information.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, provided the original funding for CDC’s Injury Center 10 years ago and has been one of our most consistent partners ever since. Together, we have shared many successes, including three landmark publications released during 2000–2001: 

• The Guide to Community Preventive Services, 
• National Strategies for Advancing Child Pedestrian Safety, 
• National Strategies for Advancing Bicycle Safety, and 
• the motor vehicle injury reviews for Guide to Community Preventive Services. 

See pages 14, 30, and 31 to learn more about these activities. 

Finally, we have had new opportunities in the international arena. CDC lent its expertise in unintentional injury prevention to UNICEF and the Vietnamese government to assist in 
developing Safe Vietnam—a nationwide program to prevent unintentional childhood injury. I am pleased to report that the program is being implemented, as noted on page 35.

On June 25, 2002, CDC’s Injury Center celebrated its tenth anniversary. To mark the occasion, events were held throughout the month of June in five American cities to give CDC and its injury partners a chance to showcase 10 years of achievements. As you will see in this report, we have accomplished much in unintentional injury prevention. Of course, there is much more to be done to reduce the number of deaths from and consequences of unintentional injuries. We look forward to working with you on this challenge. 

Christine M. Branche, PhD, 
Director of CDC’s Unintentional Injury Prevention

This page last reviewed 09/07/06.

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