This workshop is a collaborative initiative between ISCoS Prevention, Education and External Relations Committees and will help to inform future prevention priorities and action plan development. Effective prevention programs are comprehensive in scope and typically theory-driven rather than guided by experience or ‘common sense’ and focused mainly on education, which often seem to characterize prevention efforts. The workshop intends to help health professionals, managers, researchers, peers with SCI and policy leaders involved in SCI care and support move beyond a primarily educational approach to being able to implement multifaceted and community-based injury prevention strategies that include policy development for broad impact.

Presentations will be the following:

(i) Assessment, design and delivery of an effective prevention program (Jean-Gabriel Prévinaire, 20 minutes + 5 minutes Introduction)
Arguably, the Haddon matrix has been the most influential tool in the field of injury prevention, distinguishing between the multiple strategies taking place before, during and after an injury event. However, other tools (e.g., the spectrum of prevention) can be complementary and assist practitioners and policy makers in thinking through, evolving, and strategically developing prevention programs. Dr Prévinaire will provide an evidence-based, practical overview of steps in developing and evaluating a prevention program, with some examples of prevention programs that have proven effective.

(ii) The role of education, media and advocacy in prevention campaigns (Stephen Muldoon, 20 minutes)
Prevention is more than education and goes beyond the individual. Stephen Muldoon will describe current ISCOS educational approaches and resources for strengthening the knowledge, skills and capacity of individuals for management, as well as prevention, of SCI or disease. Within the context of this workshop, he will also discuss the broader role of education within prevention campaigns, not only to increase awareness and knowledge or change attitudes and behaviours through psychoeducation, but through effective community education and “media advocacy”. When communicated effectively to the media, public health solutions emphasising shared responsibility gain the attention and support of legislators and policy makers, acting as a catalyst for policy change.

(iii) ISCOS and World Health Organisation (WHO) collaboration to develop cost-efficient and effective strategies to prevent pressure injuries in people with SCI living in low- and middle-income settings (James Middleton, 20 minutes)
Professor Middleton will expand on previous presentations for planning, design and evaluation of pressure injury prevention and health promotion interventions aligned with WHO-ISCOS Collaborative Work Plan, which: (1) are data based and theory-driven, (2) recognize many contributing factors at multiple levels, (3) emphasise behaviour change, skill development and social support, (4) are appropriately timed, tailored and adapted for population and setting, (5) have sociocultural relevance, (6) delivered with fidelity and fit, (7) build effective collaborative community partnerships, and (h) are properly evaluated.

(iv) Interactive Discussion (All speakers & workshop participants, 25 minutes)
The audience and panel of speakers will engage in facilitated discussion, identifying approaches that have worked well and what characteristics and potential commonality exists between them. Future opportunities for planning, research and evaluation of prevention programs will be explored.