To commemorate National Injury Prevention Day, the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center (KIPRC) and the University of Kentucky College of Public Health (CPH) recently hosted a webinar featuring Allison Arwady, MD, MPH, who is the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC). The event brought together more than 130 participants, including CPH faculty, staff, students and community partners, to discuss critical topics in injury prevention and control.

CDC NCIPC and KIPRC: A Shared Mission

Since its founding in 1993, the CDC NCIPC has been at the forefront of addressing some of the nation’s most pressing public health challenges, including suicide, drug overdose, and adverse childhood experiences. The Center focuses on evidence-based strategies to reduce the impact of these challenges through innovative research, community partnerships, and national programs.

During the webinar, Dr. Arwady used drowning as one example of how the NCIPC effects change. She explained drowning is the leading cause of death for children between the ages of one and four in this country and it is largely preventable. 

“We have a U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan that makes recommendations and has suggestions for best practices that have evidence behind them around things like barriers—making sure that there's appropriate fencing and gating and self-locking around pools, that there are structural things in place that can make swimming settings less dangerous,” she said during the webinar. “The CDC released some data earlier this year that showed 55% of American adults have never had a swimming lesson or a basic water safety lesson of any kind. The CDC works with partners to help fund the YMCAs in areas that may have some of the highest rates of child drowning.”

Dr. Arwady emphasized the long-term impact of injury prevention efforts during her presentation. 

"In public health, making prevention more concrete is so important. For example, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood,” said Dr. Arwady. “If we could prevent all ACEs—though that’s not fully realistic—we estimate it could prevent 50% of adult depression diagnoses and nearly 89% of adolescent suicides. Addressing ACEs not only helps children but also reduces the demand for mental health services later, which is critical given the current mental health crisis.”

Just as the NCIPC tracks national injury trends, KIPRC injury surveillance and research provides critical data and guidance to help local health departments and organizations in Kentucky implement evidence-based strategies to reduce injuries and prevent violence. Both organizations work to create meaningful connections and collaborations that strengthen the impact of injury prevention programs.

Insights and Inspiration for CPH Students

Dr. Arwady encouraged students to explore the diverse roles within public health, highlighting the variety of career paths that contribute to efforts at the local, state, and national levels. Reflecting on her own journey, Dr. Arwady, who holds an undergraduate degree from Harvard University, an MPH from Columbia University, and an MD from Yale University, shared how navigating both public health and medicine ultimately led her to lead one of the centers of the nation’s most influential health organizations. 

For CPH students Brayden Ward and Anyssa Buissereth, the webinar left a lasting impression.

Brayden shared, “The most valuable insight I gained from Dr. Arwady was the importance of equipping public health professionals with skills to combat injuries. Understanding injury trends across local, state, and federal levels is key to addressing root causes and reducing adverse health outcomes.”

For Anyssa, Dr. Arwady’s focus on innovation in injury prevention sparked a deeper interest in researching adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). 

“The webinar showed me how injury prevention touches every part of our lives,” she said. “Hearing from Dr. Arwady inspired me to explore how research and prevention strategies can reduce injuries and improve public health outcomes.”

Both students emphasized how Dr. Arwady’s leadership and insights will shape their future careers. 

Anyssa added, “Her presentation encouraged me to dig deeper into how ACEs influence public health and the social determinants of health. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn from her.”

To watch the full webinar and gain further insights into injury prevention from Dr. Arwady, click here.