Public Health Briefs - The Louisiana Violent Death Reporting System: First Year Report

Authors

Norah W. Friar, Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health, Bureau of Family Health
Andrei Stefanescu, Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health, Bureau of Family Health
Jane Herwehe, Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health, Bureau of Family Health

Abstract

Background: The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) is a state-based surveillance system that collects information and tracks violent deaths in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Methods: Louisiana collected data in 2017 in four parishes: Orleans, Jefferson, East Baton Rouge, and Calcasieu. Data presented here are from the 2017 pilot year. Data on violent deaths were collected from law enforcement reports, coroner reports, and death certificates. Violent deaths included homicides, suicides, deaths of undetermined intent, accidental firearm deaths, and legal intervention deaths. Results: In 2017 in Orleans, Jefferson, East Baton Rouge, and Calcasieu Parishes there were 644 victims of violent deaths: 351 homicides, 231 suicides, 47 undetermined deaths, 6 legal intervention deaths, and 9 accidental firearm deaths. Conclusion: The comprehensive information collected by NVDRS will enable program and community partners to develop violence prevention efforts.

Recommended Citation

Friar, Norah W.; Stefanescu, Andrei; and Herwehe, Jane (2020) "Public Health Briefs - The Louisiana Violent Death Reporting System: First Year Report," Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association: Vol. 1: No. 1, Article 51.
Available at: https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/jlpha/vol1/iss1/51