Utilization of NVDRS Data for Targeted Injury and Violence Prevention Strategies

BACKGROUND:  The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), administered by the CDC's Injury Center, is currently up and running in 18 states.  The FY14 budget agreement provides new funding to allow the CDC to expand the program to nearly half the states in the country.  To promote the public health utility of the NVDRS program to states considering participation, this panel will review a recent report completed by the Safe States Alliance that identifies success stories realized by NVDRS participating states and a multi-state report funded by the National Violence Prevention Network that highlights important NVDRS findings across the current participating states.

METHODS:  Safe States Alliance conducted interviews with PI's in NVDRS participating states to collect information on state-level partnerships created and buy in secured to facilitate and enhance program implementation.  This information was used to compile state-specific narratives that illustrate NVDRS success stories.  The National Violence Prevention Network commissioned a multi-state NVDRS report that queried PI's in NVDRS participating states regarding demographics of their violent death population, number of firearm related fatalities, and differences in violent deaths between men, women, adult, youth and methods of violent death with special focus placed on intimate partner violence. This panel will provide a venue for interested states to gain an in-depth understanding of the challenges and benefits of NVDRS from the perspective of current NVDRS states and will engage attendees in a discussion focused on areas of program implementation that require careful planning and consideration.

RESULTS:  The Safe States Alliance produced a report that catalogues success stories realized by NVDRS participating states that will help non-NVDRS participating states better understand the value of this important violent death surveillance program. Because the NVDRS is designed to capture all the information about an incident, the NVDRS multi-state report distinguished homicide incidents in which multiple people died and found that the most common method of injury was use of a firearm. For most states, more than 50% of the homicides resulted from the use of a firearm.

CONCLUSIONS: A state-by-state review of how states are utilizing NVDRS data signals the public health utility of the program and illustrates the value realized by participating states. This information will become more relevant as non-NVDRS participating states consider joining this program.  Based on the collective experience of panel members, panelists will inform future utilization of NVDRS for targeted state injury violence prevention strategies. (400 word limit excluding these headings).