Dr. Mike Henson-Garcia, a postdoctoral fellow at the U-M Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, was recently awarded the 2025 Jess Kraus Award in Injury Epidemiology for his publication titled “Examining longitudinal associations between polysubstance use and firearm-related risk behaviors from adolescence into emerging adulthood: a group-based multi-trajectory modeling approach”. In this first-its-kind study, led by Dr. Henson-Garcia, researchers evaluated data from more than 1,000 individuals aged 13-18 over a 10-year period to identify the association between these risk behaviors and polysubstance use. Their findings showed that access to firearms and associated risk behaviors, like firearm storage and carriage, increase the risk of firearm-related injuries. The study provides key insights for developing interventions to mitigate firearm risks in polysubstance-using individuals transitioning from adolescence to young adulthood. View the full study.
Dr. Henson-Garcia was selected for the award by the editorial board of Injury Epidemiology. The Jess Kraus Award is given each year to the author(s) of the best paper published in Injury Epidemiology, selected by the Editorial Board according to novelty, simplicity, clarity and potential impact on population health. The winner receives a commemorative plaque and is invited to present a special seminar at Columbia University.