A blueprint for injury control in the United States

In a 1988 appraisal of the status and progress of the injury control program at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a National Academy of Sciences' Review Committee applauded the rapid progress made by CDC in 3 years, including the competitive evaluation of research proposals and funding of 5 injury prevention research centers and 31 demonstration projects. CDC also made progress in forming the Division of Injury Epidemiology and Control, which has developed an intramural cooperative program with other Federal agencies and an outreach effort to State and local public health departments. The Review Committee felt that, by all measures, the CDC response to the recommendations of the Academy's 1985 report, "Injury in America," has been a success, and a national program for injury control is underway. However, the Committee made the following recommendations for further development and maturing of the CDC program: The CDC effort needs to gain institute status (National Institute for Injury Control) and appropriate funding to address research needs adequately. As the program grows, the organizational structure of the Institute should attain a balance of the five principal areas of injury control (epidemiology, prevention, biomechanics, acute care, and rehabilitation), assuring that CDC programs go beyond traditional public health approaches and identify the causes of injury as the key step toward effective control. CDC should continue the competitive evaluation and selection of research centers and demonstration projects, including State and local outreach programs, and should direct a major part (80 percent) of its injury control funds in this area. CDC should continue its cooperation with other Federal agencies and consider formal interagency coordination and joint funding of research. An advisory council should be formed to help guide the further development of the CDC program and devise a blueprint for future programs.