Behavioral research toward prevention of childhood injury. Report of a workshop sponsored by The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Sept 3-5, 1986
P. C. Scheidt
Human Learning and Behavior Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Md. 20892.
At a recent workshop sponsored by the National Institute of Child Health
and Human Development, Bethesda, Md, injury and child behavior researchers
recommended continued expansion of both directed research on control of
specific injuries and basic research on mechanisms that underlie many or
all injuries. Prevention of injuries that are not amenable to environmental
control will require change in human behavior. Important research questions
to address this goal include the following: How do identified risk factors
influence the occurrence of injuries? How do children learn behaviors that
alter the rate of injury? How do child developmental factors contribute to
safety and injury? Innovative methods are needed, such as measure of
environmental hazards, exposure to risk, and precursors of serious
injuries. These approaches expanded by a broadened base of investigators
should help reduce childhood mortality and morbidity due to injuries.
