AnnuAl RepoRt - University of Alabama at Birmingham

In the United States, motor
vehicle–related injuries are
the leading cause of death for
individuals up to the age of 34
Transportation Plays Key Role in SOPH Injury Course
Each Spring semester, the UAB UTC and the UAB Injury
Control Research Center (ICRC) sponsor and conduct
a formal, graduate course through the UAB School of
Public Health (SOPH). This elective, EPI 603: Injury
– Epidemiologic Principles and Prevention Strategies,
presents state-of-the-science information and data
about the causes of injury and the best-practices control
measures used to prevent injury or death resulting from
them. Since motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause
of injury and death in the US for persons under the age
of 45, there has always been a transportation emphasis in
the course. This past year, however, the course has taken
on an even stronger transportation focus. This shift reflects
the growing importance of transportation research
at UAB, made possible by the establishment of the UAB
UTC.
Examples of lectures focusing primarily on transportation
include:
• An Epidemiologic Overview of the Injury Phenomenon in the
United States with Special Emphasis on The Leading Cause of
Unintentional Morbidity and Mortality: Motor Vehicle Crashes
[two consecutive introductory lectures spanning three hours by Dr. Russ Fine,
Professor of Medicine and Director of the UAB University Transportation
Center; the Southern Consortium for Injury Biomechanics; and, The UAB
Injury Control Research Center]
• Causes and Prevention of Motor Vehicle Crashes (MVCs):
Class Discussion and Debate [by Dr. John Waterbor, Associate Professor
of Epidemiology, UAB UTC and UAB ICRC Senior Scientist]
• Causes and Prevention of MVCs Among Elderly Drivers [by Dr.
Cynthia Owsley, Professor of Ophthalmology, Director of the Clinical Research
Unit in the Department of Ophthalmology, Co-Director of the Center
for Research on Applied Gerontology]
• Studies of Distracted Drivers [by Dr. Despina Stavrinos, Director of
the Translational Research for Injury Prevention Laboratory, UAB UTC Post-
Doctoral Fellow]
• Public Policy Interventions and Motor Vehicles Fatalities
[Dr. Michael Morrisey, Professor of Health Care Organization and Policy,
Director of the Lister Hill Center for Health Policy]
Dr. Stavrinos’ lecture, Studies of Distracted Drivers, is
new this year, reflecting the increased awareness of the
enormously increased risk associated with distracted
driving.
(NHTSA)
EPI 603 is offered primarily to graduate students from
the UAB School of Public Health, but students are also
attracted from the School of Medicine, the School of
Engineering, the School of Nursing and other disciplines
across campus. The injury course has always been immensely
popular with students, due to its unique subject
matter and novel class style. Also, it is the core course
component required for completion of the Certificate in
Transportation Safety and Injury Control Engineering in
the UAB School of Engineering.
Injury epidemiology is a rapidly growing, subspecialty of
epidemiology. Many students are exposed to injury epidemiology
for the first time by this class. An increasingly
large number subsequently realize they have enormous
interest in the topic. This course and the interest it has
sparked in a large number of students have resulted in
many student internships with the UAB UTC or the UAB
ICRC. To ensure that the course presents the most upto-date
information, the course masters – Dr. Russ Fine,
UAB UTC Director, and Dr. John Waterbor – have taken
an innovate approach to teaching. Instead of having one
individual present all the course information, Drs. Fine
and Waterbor engage content area experts in the specific
area of injury being covered that day to lead the class and
present the topic-specific lecture. This teaching method
allows the students to be exposed to the most up-to-date
information from those actually working in the area being
discussed.
For additional information on EPI 603: Injury – Epidemiologic
Principles and Prevention Strategies and a copy
of the most recent syllabus, please contact Dr. Russ Fine
(rfine@uab.edu).
Images;
A.) Dr. Laura Dreer, a School of Medicine faculty member who
registered for and took Epi 603 to further her understanding of
injuries as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality.
B.) Students: Beau Hagler and Priya Chandan
C.) Student: Pamela Iyinagoro, MPH Student
D.) Dr. Laura Dreer, UAB faculty member and EPI 603 student, Dr.
Richard Sattin, guest lecturer and injury expert, and Dr. John
Waterbor, course co-master.
A.) B.) C.) D.)
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