The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #70948

Alexander Kelter, MD¹, Carol Runyan, PhD², Carol A. Gunther-Mohr, MA², and Thomas J. Songer, PhD, MPH³. (1) Epidemiology and Prevention for Injury Control Branch, California Department of Health Services, 611 N. 7th Street, MS #39A, P.O. Box 942732, Sacramento, CA 94234-7320, (916) 323-3611, akelter@dhs.ca.gov, (2) Injury Prevention Research Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 7505, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7505, (3) Center for Injury Research and Control, University of Pittsburgh, UPMC Presbyterian, 200 Lothrop Street, Suite B-400, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Problem: Injury is the leading cause of death among Americans from age 1 to 44 years, yet the public health infrastructure to address the problem is severely limited. The development of injury and violence prevention competencies, or the applied skills and knowledge that enable people to effectively perform work in this field, is an important step in the process of developing the workforce and improving the public health infrastructure.

Methods: A committee organized by the National Association of Injury Control Research Centers (NAICRC) and the State and Territorial Injury Prevention Directors Association (STIPDA), and comprised of state health department injury prevention directors, injury control research directors and participants from CDC, Children’s Safety Network, IHS and MCHB, and supported by HRSA/MCHB and CDC/NCIPC, drafted competencies that are grounded in general public health competencies and based on numerous injury prevention needs assessments. Stakeholders from many diverse organizations involved in injury and violence prevention reviewed and commented on the document.

Results: Eight competencies with specific learning objectives are being used to develop tools for assessment, resource selection, orientation, professional advancement and curriculum development for the leaders and practitioners of injury and violence prevention and their diverse partners.

Discussion: The presenters will discuss the plans for dissemination and utilization of the competencies and how competency-based learning can be applied to improve prevention programs in terms of behavior, lifestyle and social determinants of health. Ultimately, these competencies will help support an organized, methodical national training initiative for injury and violence prevention.

Learning Objectives:

• 3. Define the need for competencies in the field of injury and violence prevention and the process used to create the competencies.
  7. Describe the eight competencies and examples of learning objectives for each competency.
  11. Identify how the competencies can be used to assess individual skills and knowledge and to select, create and evaluate training curricula.
  15. Discuss how competency-based learning can be applied to improve prevention programs in terms of behavior, lifestyle and social determinants of health.

Keywords: Injury Prevention, Training

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.