Examining the term ‘surveillance’ as a potential barrier between public health and community partners

There has long been interest within the injury prevention community regarding perceptions and framing of our work.1–3 Studies have examined how health professionals1 and the public2 interpret the meaning and preventability of an accident . A recent study by Smith and colleagues was the first to examine US news media inclusion of a modifier to the term accident .3 Their exploratory study reviewed the use of freak accident in coverage of injury events. This ongoing professional dialogue regarding the term accident and its implications for injury prevention has led to broad exclusion of the term from communication within our field (despite the lack of conclusive evidence to support such removal). For example, BMJ banned the term in 2001.4 We suggest that there is an additional term that requires similar dialogue. In June 2010, the Drexel University School of Public Health was awarded a 3-year Assistance to Firefighters Grant from Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. The goal of the project is to develop and test the architecture for a non-fatal injury surveillance system for the US fire service. The original name of the project reflected that goal: ‘Firefighter Non-fatal Injury Surveillance System’ or F-NISS for short. Since the project is strongly influenced by the needs and guidance of the fire service and the safety research community, an expert advisory board representing both groups was appointed at the project's inception. The board's prominent role ensured the incorporation of key principles that we know guide successful partnerships between community members and research …