Injury Prevention

At risk groups Links Safe Communities

Injury data for NSW Partners Types of injuries

Injury & Falls Networks Priorities

Partners

• The Injury Risk Management Research Centre
• The National Health and Medical Research Council
• Kidsafe

The Injury Risk Management Research Centre (IRMRC)

The IRMRC is jointly funded by the Department of Health, the Roads and Traffic Authority and the Motor Accidents Authority.

The aim of the centre is to undertake and facilitate research on the prevention of all types of injury and to develop effective solutions for injury problems.

The core activities of the IRMRC are to:

• establish a state-of-the-art information system;
• collate injury data across agencies;
• analyse date, and provide advice for prevention;
• provide independent and confidential service;
• provide a clearing house for expertise;
• review and analyse literature in the field;
• research causes and control of injury; and
• assist organisations to improve injury data collections.

For more information see the IRMRC web site at: www.irmrc.unsw.edu.au

National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC)

A partnership with the NH&MRC has been established with a consortium of partners. This grant is being coordinated by Dr Stephen Lord at the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute. Proposed research projects are to be conducted in the following areas:

• Human balance – measuring stepping and walking stability;
• Risk factors for falls, specifically looking at vision and neuropsychological functioning;
• Preventing falls in acute and rehabilitation hospitals;
• Preventing falls and fractures in ‘at risk’ groups;
• Identifying safe footwear and walking surfaces; and
• Developing falls assessment screens validated for use in a variety of settings.

The Injury Prevention Policy Branch is contributing to the falls prevention research partnership.

For further information on the falls prevention research contact: Falls & balance research group at Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute www.powmri.unsw.edu.au/FBRG/FBRGhome.htm.

Kidsafe

Kidsafe - The Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia, was established in 1979 to focus the attention of policy makers and the community at large on the need to reduce children's injuries.

Most of these injuries occur at home, school and the road. Most are easily preventable.

The number of children killed since the foundation was established (1979) has more than halved, due primarily to the reduction in road deaths, but still over 300 children die every year because of injuries. See the Kidsafe website for more information.