National Violent Death Reporting System

NVDRS Publications

The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) Coding Manual
State health departments use the NVDRS Coding Manual for defining cases, entering data, and checking data once they are entered. The coding manual contains information about individual variables and the way the data are structured. It should be used in conjunction with the guidance provided at training sessions and in the NVDRS Software Manual. The coding manual should be kept at hand when entering or checking data, both in the office or in the field. Other material related to setting up a state violent death reporting system can be found in the NVDRS Implementation Manual.

NVDRS Implementation Manual
The NVDRS Implementation Manual is a training tool for public or private agencies who want to implement a violent death reporting system in their jurisdictions. The manual provides helpful information on what types of data to collect, where to collect them, and how to work best with data providers.

NVDRS Overview [PDF 661KB]
Linking Data to Save Lives describes how the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) helps CDC monitor and track deaths related to violence. It also provides information on the benefits and challenges of NVDRS, examples of program highlights, and next steps.

NVDRS Timeline [PDF 293KB]
The NVDRS Timeline provides a summary of key milestones in the development and operation of CDC’s National Violent Death Reporting System.

Suicides Due to Alcohol and/or Drug Overdose: A Data Brief from the National Violent Death Reporting System
There are a number of factors that increase the likelihood a person will take his or her own life. One of these is abusing substances such as alcohol and drugs.  Alcohol and drug abuse are second only to depression and other mood disorders as the most frequent risk factors for suicidal behavior. This data brief summarizes suicide deaths reported in the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) due to poisoning by alcohol and/or other drug ingestion.  The brief contains data from 16 states implementing NVDRS from 2005-2007.

 

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWR)

Surveillance for Violence Deaths — National Violent Death Reporting System, 16 States, 2007
Also available in PDF format — Download [PDF 683 KB]

Alcohol and Suicide Among Racial Ethnic Populations—17 states 2005–2006

Surveillance for Violent Deaths — National Violent Death Reporting System, 16 States, 2006

Surveillance for Violent Deaths — National Violent Death Reporting System, 16 States, 2005

Homicides and Suicides — National Violent Death Reporting System, United States, 2003--2004

Toxicology Testing and Results for Suicide Victims — 13 States, 2004

Homicide and Suicide Rates — National Violent Death Reporting System, Six States, 2003

 

Journal Articles

Azrael D, Mercy J, and Barber CW. Linking Data to Save Lives: Recent Progress in Establishing a National Violent Death Reporting System. Harvard Health Policy Review 2.2 (2001).

Barber CW, et al. Suicides and Suicide Attempts Following Homicide: Victim-Suspect Relationship, Weapon Type, and Presence of Antidepressants. Homicide Studies. 12.3 (2008): 285–297.

Bennett MD Jr, Hall J, Frazier L Jr, Patel N, Barker L, Shaw K. Homicide of children aged 0-4 years, 2003-04: results from the National Violent Death Reporting System. Inj Prev 2006 Dec;12 Suppl 2:ii39–ii43.

Bossarte RM, Simon TR, Barker L. Characteristics of homicide followed by suicide incidents in multiple states, 2003-04. Inj Prev 2006 Dec;12 Suppl 2:ii33–ii38.

Breiding MJ, Wiersema B. Variability of undetermined manner of death classification in the U.S. Inj Prev 2006 Dec;12 Suppl 2:ii49–ii54.

Buchart A. The National Violent Death Reporting System: a new gold standard for the surveillance of violence related deaths? Inj Prev 2006 Dec;12 Suppl 2:ii63–ii64.

Campbell R, Weis MA, Millet L, Powell V, Hull-Jilly D, Hackman H. From surveillance to action: early gains for the National Violent Death Reporting System. Inj Prev 2006 Dec;12 Suppl 2:ii6–ii9.

Davis RL (2010) Domestic violence-related deaths.  Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research  2 (2) 44–52.

Donnelly EF, et al. Preliminary results from the Rhode Island Violent Death Reporting System (RIVDRS). Med Health R.I. 88.12 (2005): 443–444.

Friday JC. Law enforcement and the National Violent Death Reporting System: a partnership in the making. Inj Prev 2006 Dec;12 Suppl 2:ii55–ii57.

Friday JC, Barker L, Pless B. The U.S. National Violent Death Reporting System. Inj Prev 2006 Dec;12(6):355.

Genovesi AL, Donaldson A, Morrison B, and Olson LM (2010) Comparison of newspaper information to official document sources for violent deaths.  Accident Analysis and Prevention 42 (2) 445–451.

Glysch RL, Hale LJ, Nie C, Hargarten SW, Katcher ML. Wisconsin's violent death reporting system: monitoring and responding to Wisconsin's violent deaths. WMJ 2005 Jan;104(1):17–19.

Hemenway D, Barber C, Gallagher S, Azrael D. Creating a National Violent Death Reporting System: a successful beginning.  Am J Prev Med 2009;37(1): 68–70.

Hemenway D, Barber C, Miller M. Unintentional firearm deaths: a comparison of other-inflicted and self-inflicted shootings.  Accident Analysis and Prevention doi:10.1016/j.aap.2010.01.008.

Hempstead K. Manner of death and circumstances in fatal poisonings: evidence from New Jersey. Inj.Prev. 12 Suppl 2 (2006): ii44–ii48.

Lipskiy N., et al. The U.S. National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) as a model of a national public health registry. Value in Health 9.3 (2006): A58–A59.

Kabore HJ, Brown S, and Archer P. Suicide among persons 65 years and older, Oklahoma, 2004. J Okla State Med Assoc 101.11 (2008): 267–270.

Kaplan MS, McFarland BH, Huguet N.  Characteristics of adult male and female firearm suicide decedents: findings from the National Violent Death Reporting System.  Inj Prev 2009;15 322–327.

Kaplan MS, McFarland BH, Huguet N. Firearm suicide among veterans in the general population:  findings from the National Violent Death Reporting System. The Journal of TRAUMA® Injury, Infection, and Critical Care 2009 Sep;67(3);503-07.

Karch DL, Barker L, Strine TW. Race/ethnicity, substance abuse, and mental illness among suicide victims in 13 US states: 2004 data from the National Violent Death Reporting System. Inj Prev 2006 Dec;12 Suppl 2:ii22–ii27.

Karch, DL. and JE Logan. Data Consistency in Multiple Source Documents: Findings From Homicide Incidents in the National Violent Death Reporting System, 2003–2004. Homicide Studies 12.3 (2008): 264–276.

Karch DL, Nunn K.  Characteristics of Elderly and Other Vulnerable Adult Victims of Homicide by a Caregiver: National Violent Death Reporting System - 17 U.S. States, 2003–2007.  J Interpers Violenc. 2010 May 4. [Epub ahead of print].

Kegler SR. Applying the compound Poisson process model to the reporting on injury-related mortality rates. Epidemiologic Perspectives & Innovation 2007; 4:1.

Logan J, et al. Characteristics of perpetrators in homicide-followed-by-suicide incidents: National Violent Death Reporting System—17 U.S. States, 2003–2005. Am J Epidemiol 168.9 (2008): 1056–1064.

Logan J, Hill H, Lynber-Black M, Crosby A, Karch D, Barnes J, Lubell K., Characteristics of Perpetrators in Homicide-Followed-by-Suicide Incidents:  National Violent Death Reporting System-17 U.S. States, 2003–2005. American Journal of Epidemiology  2008; doi: 10.1093/aje/kwn213.

Logan J, Karch D, Crosby A.  Reducing ‘Unknown’ Data in Violent Death Surveillance:  A Study of Death Certificates, Coroner/Medical Examiner and Police Reports from the National Violent Death Reporting System, 2003–2005.  Homicide Studies 2009. 13(4);385-397.

Mercy JA, Barker L, Frazier L. The secrets of the National Violent Death Reporting System. Inj Prev 2006 Dec;12 Suppl 2:ii1-ii2.

Ortega LA, Karch D. Precipitating Circumstances of Suicide among Women of Reproductive Age in 16 U.S. States, 2003-2007. Journal of Women’s Health 2010;19(1):5–7.

Paulozzi LJ, Mercy J, Frazier L Jr, Annest JL. CDC's National Violent Death Reporting System: background and methodology. Inj Prev 2004;10(1):47–52.

Powell V, Barber CW, Hedegaard H, Hempstead K, Hull-Jilly D, Shen X, Thorpe GE, Weis MA. Using NVDRS data for suicide prevention: promising practices in seven states. Inj Prev 2006;12 Suppl 2:ii28–ii32.

Sanford C, et al. Deaths from violence in North Carolina, 2004: how deaths differ in females and males. Inj Prev 12 Suppl 2 (2006): ii10–ii16.

Shields RT, Ward BW. Comparison of the National Violent Death Reporting System and supplementary homicide report: potential benefits of integration. Justice Research and Policy 2008;10(2):67–97.

Steenkamp M, Frazier L, Lipskiy N, Deberry M, Thomas S, Barker L, Karch D. The National Violent Death Reporting System: an exciting new tool for public health surveillance. Inj Prev 2006;12 Suppl 2:ii3–ii5.

Styka AN, White DS, Zumwalt RE, Lathrop SL.  Trends in adult suicides in New Mexico: utilizing data from the New Mexico violent death reporting system. J Forensic Sci 2010;55(1):93–99.

Walsh S, Digna Mn, and Caldwell G. The PAPM, diffusion theory, and violent death surveillance. Am J Health Behav 31.5 (2007): 451–461.

Wanta BT, et al. The burden of suicide in Wisconsin's older adult population. WMJ 108.2 (2009): 87–93.

Ward, BW, Shields RT, Cramer BR. Integrating medical examiner and police report data: can this improve our knowledge of the social circumstances surrounding suicide? The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention, 2011;32(3):160–168.

Weis MA, et al. An exploration of human services system contacts prior to suicide in South Carolina: an expansion of the South Carolina Violent Death Reporting System. Inj Prev 2006;12 (Suppl 2):ii17–ii21.

Weiss HB, Gutierrez MI, Harrison J, Matzopoulos R. The U.S. National Violent Death Reporting System: domestic and international lessons for violence injury surveillance. Inj Prev 2006;12 (Suppl 2):ii58–ii62.