Injury Epidemiology & Prevention Research at UC San Diego

Our Mission

The mission of the UC San Diego School of Medicine's Injury Epidemiology, Prevention and Research Center is to reduce the frequency and severity of intentional and unintentional injury and to improve community and individual well-being through surveillance, preventive interventions, basic science and clinical research.

About IEPRC

The Injury Epidemiology, Prevention & Research Center (IEPRC) consists of a multidisciplinary team of researchers and investigators, basic scientists, physicians, nurses, fellows, students, data specialists, and injury prevention experts. Under the shared leadership of Co-Directors Todd Costantini, M.D., FACS, Trauma Medical Director and Linda Hill, M.D., M.P.H., Clinical Professor, Director of Preventive Medicine Residency, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, the IEPRC's ultimate goal is to make our communities safer and to decrease the burden of injuries to our society.

This integrated leadership design and collaboration creates a unique synergy within the IEPRC and to the study of the juxtaposition between wellness and injury prevention, trauma medicine, and the recovery process. By conducting research, and implementing interventions that focus on all facets of human functioning, including personal responsibility for maintaining well-being, researchers and practitioners gain a better understanding about what factors are most predictive and influential before, during, and after a traumatic injury occurs.

A Unique and Novel Approach to Injury Prevention

Most injury prevention programs do only prevention. Most basic sciences programs do only bench research and most clinical programs do mostly clinical research. Our approach is different.

The IEPRC assembles highly experienced individuals from very different fields and backgrounds who work together. Science and bench research complement the study of social and cultural factors, behavioral issues, alcohol and drug use, engagement in risk behaviors, and border dynamics — and how each of these factors can interface to end or forever affect the lives of otherwise healthy and productive individuals.

The Advantages of Academic Medicine

This novel approach of combining disciplines to study new paradigms with the ultimate goals of advancing knowledge, improving care, and preventing injury could only be done in a university setting such as UC San Diego School of Medicine.

The UC San Diego Trauma Registry and regional data serve as the basis for the epidemiological profiling of injuries. The IEPRC team works with our academic and community partners: UC San Diego Trauma, Preventive Medicine, Regional Burn Center, Supercomputer Center and the School of Medicine, San Diego State University, the San Diego County Regional Trauma System and Trauma Research and Education Foundation (TREF), San Diego City Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Crash Investigation Research Education Network (CIREN), pharmacy groups, school districts, fire departments and law enforcement, city and county government officials, religious institutions, social service agencies, and most importantly the public.

Community organizing through TREF, and professional development through Trauma and Preventive Medicine associations utilize existing affiliations and explore new relationships, and ensure that the IEPRC builds upon best practices, maximizes judicious use of limited funding, and that research and prevention strategies are clinically, culturally, and socially responsible.

The IEPRC's distinctive approach to trauma prevention combined with the benefits of university affiliation creates an exceptional venue for trauma surgeons, preventive medicine specialists, basic scientists, epidemiologists and public health professionals to share their clinical expertise, perform cutting edge research and share outcomes, and to develop trauma and injury prevention strategies in the community locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

UC San Diego Health and School of Medicine's IEPRC capabilities:

Apply for and receive grants and funding for trauma research and injury prevention
Partner with organizations conducting injury prevention research and intervention
Design and provide professional training and fellowship opportunities
Conduct literature reviews to identify best practices in trauma and injury prevention
Develop outcome measures and evaluation plans for injury prevention programs
Assist organizations in grant writing and resource development for injury prevention
Serve as fiscal agent for organizations conducting relevant research or interventions
Advise organizations and task forces regarding trauma/injury prevention
Identify community service volunteer opportunities for RNs and medical professionals
Accept donations and bequests to expand research and programming capabilities