CDC scientists, working in injury prevention and control,  are making a real difference in the real world.  And in next five years, these scientists will make an even greater difference as CDC implements the Injury Prevention Research Agenda.  The Research Agenda -- developed with the help of academic research centers, state and local health departments, and other federal agencies -- provides a blueprint for confronting and reducing injuries in America.  

The research agenda focuses on answering questions that will have a relatively rapid impact on preventing injuries and reducing their consequences. Thus, many of the research issues of highest priority for this agenda relate to evaluating interventions and understanding how to ensure that effective interventions are widely used. 

The Research Agenda pinpoints seven areas where the fundamental threat posed by injury can be most effectively controlled:

• At home and in the community;
• Sports, recreation, and exercise;
• Transportation;
• Intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and child maltreatment;
• Suicidal behavior;
• Youth violence; and
• Acute care, disability and rehabilitation -- because progress in controlling injuries is inextricably linked to the nation’s ability to treat the injured and help them recover.

  
Suicide: Research in Action

Recent work on suicide at CDC shows how research can lay the groundwork for intervention.

CDC’s violence prevention researchers developed an innovative study design to find out about non-mental health risk factors for suicide.  Most studies of suicide have interviewed surrogates – friends or family of the victim – but CDC researchers interviewed people who tried to kill themselves and would have died without medical care, thus revealing significant factors that motivated the victims:

• Impulse:  Nearly 1 in 4 of those who made nearly lethal suicide attempts reported that less than 5 minutes passed between their decisions to attempt suicide and their actual attempts.
• Alcohol:  Drinking within three hours of the attempt was the most important alcohol-related risk factor, more important than alcoholism and binge drinking.
• Changes of residence:  Moving in the past 12 months is an increased risk.  Frequency of moving, distance moved, recency of move, and difficulty staying in touch were all significant factors.

These findings may be the keys to more effective services and to reduce suicide attempts. The Injury Research Agenda promises to yield many more such keys in the coming years.

This page last reviewed September 07, 2006.

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