Introduction: Back to the Future--Revisiting Haddon's Conceptualization of Injury Epidemiology and Prevention

Critiques of contemporary epidemiology have addressed the increasing gap between its scientific foundations and its contribution to the practice of public health (1–12). This debate has also addressed the value of using theory and conceptual models to guide both research and practice (1, 6–9, 11). Although seemingly unrecognized in this recent debate, Dr. William Haddon, Jr., widely considered the father of modern injury epidemiology, raised very similar issues some 35–40 years ago as he argued for both a more scientifically driven approach to injury control and also developed two complementary conceptual frameworks to guide epidemiologic research and prevention practice (13–18). This paper examines Haddon’s advances from both a theoretical and a practical perspective and demonstrates the applicability of his approach not only to injury problems but also to other public health issues.