March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

Free TBI Webinar: Pediatric Return to Learn after Concussion

Learn from experts working in research and community programs around pediatric concussion and the school-based Return to Learn program in a live webinar on Wednesday, March 13. This webinar will discuss the documented need and collaborative development of a school-based program to support high school students returning to school after a concussion diagnosis.
 
The webinar is part of a series designed for public health and medical professionals working with TBI causes, care, rehabilitation, prevention, and impacted communities. The series is a joint initiative of the University of Washington’s Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center and the Washington State Department of Health.
 
Free TBI Webinar: Pediatric Return to Learn after Concussion
March 13, 2019
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. PST
Broadcast via Zoom, including live Q&A
Register:  https://rtlconcussion.eventbrite.com
 
Topics & Presenters
“A Student-Centered Plan for High School Return to Learn After Concussion” – HIPRC Director & TBI researcher Monica Vavilala, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington
 
 “Student Concussions and School Nurse Support: Identifying Needs and Building Solutions” – School nursing leader Laura Widdice, BSN, RN, NCSN, Director – Health Services, Renton School District; Renton, WA

Study: Firearm homicide rate higher in U.S counties with greater income inequality

Counties in the United States with greater gaps between rich and poor have a higher rate of homicide deaths involving firearms, according to a national study by researchers at the University of Washington School of Public Health and HIPRC. These same counties experienced higher levels of crime and poverty, and lower levels of community social networks.

The study, published in February in Injury Prevention, sought to quantify the association between county-level income inequality and the number of firearm homicide victims per 100,000 residents in the county. HIPRC Violence Prevention section lead Ali Rowhani-Rahbar, M.D., Ph.D., led the study, and co-authors include epidemiology doctoral student Erin Morgan, core member Fred Rivara, M.D., MPH, and Duane Alexander Quistberg, Ph.D., MPH, a current assistant research professor at Drexel University and former HIPRC trainee.

Text-based intervention shows promising results for reducing risk of suicide among active military

A new study from UW Medicine indicates contact as simple as a text can reduce the risk of suicide among active military personnel. The study, published in February, found the intervention among participants at three military installations lowered the risk from 15 percent to 9 percent when they received “caring contacts” in the form of text messages.

HIPRC T-32 postdoctoral fellow Christopher DeCou, Ph.D., is a co-author on the study, which was published in JAMA Psychiatry and feature on the UW Medicine Newsroom. 

Navy file photo

HIPRC member featured speaker at rehabilitation psychology conference

Associate member Jeanne Hoffmann, Ph.D., ABPP, gave the Rosenthal Memorial Lecture at the 21st Annual Rehabilitation Psychology Conference: Science & Practice Across the Lifespan for the Academy of Rehabilitation Psychology. Her talk was titled “Pain after TBI: Understanding the Problem and How to Treat It.” Learn more from the conference program.

Event Calendar

View the full calendar. 

Injury conference to explore research and advocacy

SAVIR (The Society for the Advancement of Violence and Injury Research) provides leadership and fosters excellence in the science of injury and violence prevention research. The 2019 SAVIR Conference on April 1-3, 2019 in Cincinnati, OH, will highlight ways in which injury prevention research is promoted by and used in advocacy efforts and policy. The conference will feature presentations and work by several HIPRC members, trainees and alumni.

2019 SAVIR Conference registration is open.

King County Car Seat Checks

Safe Kids Seattle South King will host six free car seat inspection events this year, partnering with King County EMS and UW Neighborhood Clinics for April and partnering with King County EMS and AAA for the May – September events.

The first inspection will be held April 18, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the UW Neighborhood Kent/Des Moines Clinic parking lot, 23213 Pacific Highway South. For more information or to make an appointment, contact safekids@uw.edu.

Funding Opportunities

ITHS Early Investigator Catalyst Award
Eligibility: Early Stage Investigators at ITHS Partner Institutions, including the University of Washington, Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, and other academic institutions affiliated with the University of Washington
Application Deadline: Rolling applications, next deadline is April 1, 2019.

The ITHS Early Investigator Catalyst Award program is designed to provide “just-in-time” resources to investigators looking to complete a project or collect pilot data for a larger grant application. Investigators can receive a maximum of $5,000 (direct costs only) toward the purchase of supplies or core services not provided by ITHS. If your research includes Human Subjects or Animals, you can apply if your IRB or IACUC is currently approved or exempt.

Other Opportunities