New York Doctor Receives Award for Gun Violence Research

December 4, 2017 - Injury Free Coalition for Kids National Office

(Ft. Lauderdale FL, December 3, 2017) During Forging New Frontiers, the annual conference of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, December 1-3, 2017, Nina Agrawal, MD of New York City Health and Hospitals, Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx was recognized with the 2017 Research Abstract of the year award. Her abstract, “Effectiveness of the Asking Saves Kids Gun Violence Prevention Campaign in an Urban Pediatric Clinic” was selected as the conference’s best research abstract from among the top 10 Research abstracts presented at the conference and more than 30 submitted from across the nation for review.

Dr. Agrawal’s abstract was judged on the degree to which: her research topic identified a new area of study and/or addressed the topic in a novel and unique manner, the scientific validity of her methodology, the relevance of her topic to injury control and/or violence prevention, the way she articulated the research and responded to questions and critiques during her presentation and the degree to which she communicated the hypothesis, methodology, research, results, and conclusion of the research through written word. Scoring and ranking took place during the conference and the award was presented during the Coalition’s Saturday night awards banquet.

Injury Free Coalition for Kids Board President Wendy Pomerantz, MD says in addition to that, the subject matter made this submission key. “Unintentional shootings are a problem in young children, and many parents are unaware of this danger in places where their children play. It is difficult to ask about guns in other people’s homes. ASK education, provided by pediatricians, is one way to try to make asking about guns in homes easier,” she went on to say. “Dr. Agarwal’s study found that parents given the education were more comfortable asking if there is a gun where their child plays. Education like this is essential in preventing senseless gun-related tragedies.” The Coalition’s Scientific Publications Chair Marlene Melzer-Lange, MD agreed.

Agrawal says receiving an award from Injury Free for gun violence prevention research means a great deal to her on many levels. “I'm happy to know that Injury Free supports evidenced based research on preventing gun violence in children - a public health epidemic in the United States,” Agrawal explained. She developed an interest in firearm injuries in children when the tragedy at Sandy Hook elementary school took the lives of 20 young children. “As a child abuse pediatrician, I felt that this was completely unjust, cannot happen again, and was preventable,” she said. “On that day, I joined a vigil in NYC. Soon after, I became the gun violence prevention campaign coordinator for Doctors for America, a grassroots organization.” She went on to say, in that position, she has joined with physicians advocating to lift the 20-year effective ban on the CDC and the NIH doing gun violence prevention research.

Dr. Agrawal is a new director of the Child Advocacy Center at Lincoln Medical Center in the South Bronx, where she practices child abuse pediatrics and runs the center’s Community Pediatrics residency rotation. Her persistence and ability to build coalitions have led her to advocacy success in a variety of areas, including firearm safety. Dr. Agrawal also has a strong focus on bringing advocacy training to young doctors and medical students.

###

The Injury Free Coalition for Kids is the place to turn for the country’s most effective venue for generating injury prevention research and community based programming. The Coalition is comprised of hospital-based, community-oriented programs whose efforts are anchored in research, education, and advocacy. It is made up of nearly 40 sites located in level I and II trauma centers in major metropolitan areas across the country. All of the sites are independent, programs driven by the Coalition’s mission: “Prevent Injury to Children.” The Coalition is the place to turn for physicians looking to make a difference.

For more information Contact:
E. Lenita Johnson, MA
Program, Marketing & Communications Dir.
816-651-7777