Injury Prevention Research Center

According to a new report, most American companies identify workplace violence as a priority and are doing their best to respond. However, smaller companies with more resource constraints lag behind larger businesses in having elements of a comprehensive program. Workplace violence in the U.S. makes up 16% of all workplace deaths, according to the 2015…

With our interdisciplinary partners, the UI IPRC has integrated innovative technology into our injury and violence research and prevention activities. These technologies have helped us study topics ranging from bicycle crashes to cyberbullying using such approaches as integrated geospacial video technologies and cellular phones. What these technologies have in common:  They help us learn how…

The University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital is close to opening the doors of a new hospital building. But what isn’t new is the UI IPRC’s strong partnership with the hospital in our common goal to prevent injuries in the state.  In Iowa and the United States, unintentional injuries are the leading cause of…

In farming states, urban sprawl around traditionally rural areas is just one of the reasons crashes between farm vehicles and passenger vehicles are likely to increase. With drivers unfamiliar with farm equipment, they may not know how to interact with these very large and slow-moving vehicles on public highways. However, alerting drivers with lights and…

Motor-vehicle safety is among the top 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century according to the CDC—and laws requiring seat belt use and child safety seats are among the reasons why. The majority of Iowans understand the importance of restraining their children, but there is still some work to do. To measure compliance…

Some people don’t call 911 after a crime has been committed against them. However, IPRC researchers found that individuals who report being victims of crime to police are less likely to be victimized in the future compared to those who don’t do so. The new study, published July 28 in the journal PLOS ONE, looked…

Between 1999 and 2010 state anti-bullying policies proliferated in the US.  With all 50 states having such a law today, researchers in Iowa have asked:  Is it working? Dr. Marizen Ramirez and other researchers from the UI IPRC recently published a study evaluating the effectiveness of Iowa’s anti-bullying law in preventing bullying.  The study looked…

Many people think of drowsy driving as falling asleep at the wheel.  But it is more than that: Sleepiness causes impaired driving, much like drunk and distracted driving, with effects on reaction time, judgment and decision-making. Although drowsy driving has existed a long time, it is now getting more attention nationally and here in Iowa.…

When a child is repeatedly acting out in class, unable to pay attention or skipping school, teachers and parents might ask “What is the matter with him?” But there is a different question researchers of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) say educators and parents should ask instead:  “What happened to him?” ACEs are traumatic events that…