The use of public health research in stimulating violence and injury prevention practices and policies: Reflections from South Africa

Abstract

There is a paucity of academic work examining the applicability and utility of epidemiological data in efforts to inform injury prevention policy and practice. Drawing on experiences from two South African case examples we explore the utility of injury surveillance and epidemiological data, and review the contextual, content, process and social actor related factors that influence prevention policy reform and practices. In addition to a responsive socio-political environment, personal relationships, researcher credibility, institutional capacity, careful data packaging, ongoing dissemination, pressure from civil society, and the formation of alliances are among the many significant factors influencing the uptake of injury data and associated prevention policy and practice initiatives. By way of conclusion, we raise the importance of developing strategies to minimize the misuse of empirically generated data. © 2003 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.