National Violent Death Reporting System and Vital Statistics Data

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National Violent Death Reporting System and
Vital Statistics Data

• Katherine Hempstead
• NAPHSIS, 2008

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National Violent Death Reporting System

• CDC-funded surveillance system which includes all
  homicides, suicides, legal intervention,
  accidental deaths of undetermined intent, and
  unintentional firearm fatalities

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Features of the NVDRS

• Combines data from multiple sources
• CDC has created standardized definitions for
  circumstances
• Data submitted to CDC using specialized software
• Seventeen states currently participate
• Incident-based
• Modeled after a project initiated by Harvard
  (NVISS)
• Also modeled after FARS

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Focus on circumstances of violent deaths

• Standard definitions for circumstances of
  suicides and homicides
• Trained abstractors code in similar manners in
  all funded states
• Goal is to aid prevention efforts by learning
  more about risk factors for violent death

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NVDRS in NJ

• NJ one of six original states
• Others MA, VA, SC, OR, MD
• Started with 2003 events
• Includes events based on residence and occurrence
• NJVDRS located in the Office of Injury
  Surveillance and Prevention, Center for Health
  Statistics

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Data Sources
Death certificates Report of Investigation by
Medical Examiner (RIME) Supplemental Homicide
Reports (SHR) Domestic Violence Reports County
Prosecutor files Local law enforcement Ballistics
Reports New Jersey Child Fatality and Near
Fatality Review Board
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Violent Death
Surveillance in New Jersey
2. Medical Examiners Report Provides
information about manner and circumstances of
death. Source State M.E. Office (RIME),
county M.E. offices (autopsy and toxicology
reports.)
1.Death Certificate Provides information on
cause of death, and demographic information
about Victim. Source NJDHSS
LINK
3. Police incident reports. Provide information
on circumstances, suspects, weapon. Source SHR
from NJSP, UCR division. Police incident and
homicide investigation reports from county
prosecutors.
5. Ballistics Lab Provides information, when
available, on make, model, caliber, importer
name, etc. Source NJSP
4. Child Fatality Review Module Pilot module
testing for CDC. Provides information available
from Child Fatality Review Board, re
involvement of DYFS, CFRB ruling. Source CFRB
YES
Child Victim?
NO
YES
6. ATF Trace (optional) Provides info On
firearms history
Firearm used?
NO
Case definition Homicides, suicides, legal
intervention, unintentional firearm fatalities,
occurring within New Jersey or to New Jersey
residents.
Case complete
CDC
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Death Certificate data

• Required element of NVDRS
• Considered early required by CDC
• Applicants for NVDRS must demonstrate cooperation
  of VS in their state

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Use of DC data in NJVDRS

• Pre-EDRS anually examine paper DCs for those
  meeting case definition
• Couldnt wait for electronic file
• EDRS has facilitated MEs use EDRS
• NJVDRS cases are ME cases
• Wait for ICD-10 codes sometimes a problem
• Starting to initiate cases with ME data

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NVDRS on IJE

• Check-off on IJE to use deaths for NVDRS
• Important because events by residence and
  occurrence are required by CDC
• Much less info on out of state events

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M.E. Data

• Running NJVDRS increases interest in ME data.
• Hope to get new software for M.E.
• Integrate ME software with EDRS
• Important to get MEs to use EDRS

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Uses of NJVDRS

• Presentations
• Publications
• Maps
• Policy activities

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Multiple audiences

• Public
• Law Enforcement
• Suicide prevention
• Substance abuse/poisoning
• Domestic violence fatality review board
• Child fatality review board

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New Jersey context

• Homicide is a higher profile issue statewide
• Suicide rates low, fairly stable
• Interact with law enforcement in data acquisition
• General Advisory Board law enforcement/homicide
  dominated

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