The Injury Epidemiology Program gathers and analyzes data on all unintentional and intentional injuries in Oregon. Ongoing surveillance data are used to determine the magnitude of fatal and non-fatal injuries in Oregon, monitor trends, identify priority areas, complete data requests, and to guide program development and policy initiatives.
Learn more from our Glossary of Terms and Injury Fact sheets.
In Oregon, injury is....
- The third leading cause of death overall.
- The leading cause of death for Oregonians aged 1 - 44 years.
- Not an accident. Most injuries are PREVENTABLE.
Data are collected from....
- Death certificates
- Hospital discharge records
- Law enforcement officer and first responder reports
- Oregon Department of Transportation
- Surveys
- Medical examiner reports
- National data reporting systems
- Fatality review reports
Additional data sources
ORVDRS
The Oregon Violent Death Reporting System (ORVDRS) in Oregon collects data from death certificates, medical examiner reports, law enforcement reports, and toxicology reports. Complex guidance is used to translate this data into information that provides a more complete picture of violent deaths. Violent deaths include suicides, homicides, deaths of undetermined intent, legal interventions, and unintentional firearm injury deaths. As a result, questions like the following can be answered: “Was this random
violence? Was the victim a bystander? Did the victim use a weapon? Was this a hate crime? Was there drug involvement? ORVDRS generates public health information on violent deaths to inform violence prevention strategies. View the
ORVDRS data dashboard for the most current data.
WISQARS
State and national injury data may also be obtained from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) through the
Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS). WISQARS is an interactive database system that provides customized reports of injury-related data. Researchers, the media, public health professionals, and the public can use WISQARS™ data to learn more about the public health and economic burden associated with unintentional and violence-related injury in the United States.
SUDORS
The State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) links data from death certificates, medical examiner reports, and toxicology reports. Complex guidance is used to translate this data into information that provides a more complete picture of each overdose death. As a result, questions like the following can be answered: “How many overdose deaths involved more than one substance, happened in front of a bystander, or involved people with a history of substance misuse/treatment?”
ESSENCE
Emergency departments and participating urgent care centers in Oregon use the Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-Based Epidemics (ESSENCE) to share de-identified information on visits to monitor health-related activity, such as suicide attempts and non-fatal overdose. This information is shared with OHA several times a day so that public health officials can alert staff if a higher-than-expected number of visits occur.
ODMAP
The Overdose Mapping and Application Program (ODMAP) provides near real-time suspected overdose surveillance data to support public safety and public health efforts. ODMAP links first responders and records management systems to a mapping tool to track overdoses, helping agencies mobilize an immediate response to a sudden increase or spike in overdose events. For more information about ODMAP, contact the
Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).