Injury and violence remain major public health problems in Ohio because of the incomparable cost and the disabling and disrupting consequences. They are the leading cause of death for Ohioans aged 1 to 44 and the fifth leading cause of death overall. Injuries cause more deaths of children and young adults from ages 1 through 44 than all other causes combined, including heart disease, stroke and cancer.

The Office of Injury Prevention (OOIP) at the Portsmouth City Health Department is funded through grants from the Ohio Department of Health Bureau for Health Promotion/Risk Reduction, and the Ohio Department of Public Safety. The Office of Injury Prevention serves to promote injury prevention through a combination of education, environmental engineering, and the provision of safety devices known to reduce injuries and death. The overall goal of the Office of Injury Prevention is to reduce the incidence of unintentional injuries in an effort to reduce the incidence of accident-related disabilities and death.

Lisa Roberts, R.N., (left) is the Office of Injury Prevention Coordinator. Lisa is the Coordinator of the SAFE KIDS River Cities Coalition, a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician/Instructor, NPSI Certified Playground Safety Inspector, and Licensed ASI ATV Safety Instructor.

The OOIP is concerned with preventing injury of all types. However, based on Ohio-specific injury data and an in-depth prioritization process, the OOIP has identified the following injury priority areas. This organization has developed specific strategies related to these injury priority areas

• Falls
• Motor vehicle-related injury
• Pedestrian-related injury
• All-Terrain Vehicle-related injury (ATV)
• Bicycle-related injury
• SIDS
• Poisonings

Office of Injury Prevention Services

The Portsmouth City Health Department is committed to strengthening and sustaining effective injury prevention and control measures that reflect the significance of the problem. Services offered by the Office of Injury prevention include:

• Ohio Buckle Buckeyes Car Seat distribution/education program
• Child safety seat inspections by NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety Seat Technician/Instructor
• ATV Safety Institute RiderCourse by Licensed ASI Instructor
• Bicycle safety education, helmets, and events
• Playground Safety Inspections/Audits by NPPSI Certified Playground Safety Inspector