Harvard University
David Hemenway, PhD
Phone: 617-432-4493
Fax: 617-432-3699
E-mail: hemenway@hsph.harvard.edu
Department of Health Policy and Management
Harvard School of Public Health
Kresge Building, 3rd Floor
677 Huntington Ave.
Boston, MA 02115
Overview
The Harvard Injury Control Research Center (HICRC) is a multidisciplinary center based at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). The HICRC's theme, "protecting vulnerable populations," is accomplished through applied research projects, training students and practitioners, and communications. The Center's administration and research team demonstrate a long-standing commitment to the field of injury control while welcoming an influx of fresh ideas, personnel, and foci. The Center offers outstanding opportunities for training through its commitment to student research opportunities. Its mentorship program matches experienced researchers with students, provides postdoctoral fellowships, and promotes other research opportunities with local or state agencies. HICRC collaborates with scientists and injury control professionals at the local, national, and international level. To assure the Center's growth and continued development, an independent advisory committee meets annually to evaluate progress and suggest new projects and direction.
The HICRC research resources are devoted to three priority issues: occupational injuries, traffic safety, and violence prevention. For the 1998-2001 period, three major research projects are:
- A survey that will increase our understanding of the risk factors for, and the prevalence and sequelae of, intentional injury among urban youth,
- A firearm survey that will provide policy- relevant information on self-defense gun use, gun storage, and gun carrying,
- The characterization of the effects that residual alcohol intoxication (hangover) has on job-related injury rates.
HICRC is currently leading a national effort to create a nationwide firearms injury surveillance system that will provide accurate, timely, comparable, and comprehensive data on gun-related injuries.
Projects