The role of medical examiners and coroners in public health surveillance and epidemiologic research.
The role of medical examiners and coroners (ME/Cs) in public health surveillance and epidemiologic research is reviewed. Definitions are offered, and discussion centers on the advantages of, and obstacles to the use of ME/C data; existing surveillance systems relevant to ME/Cs; studies assessing the usefulness of ME/C data; newly emerging tools for ME/C surveillance and epidemiologic research; and recommendations for the future. ME/C data have been used quite successfully in some settings and are potentially very useful for surveillance and epidemiologic research on a large scale, but the data have limitations that need to be addressed in the future.
Hanzlick
R
R
Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.
Parrish
R G
RG
D002423:Cause of Death; D003334:Coroners and Medical Examiners; D003644:Death Certificates; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D010819:Physician's Role; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D011635:Public Health Administration; D012106:Research; D014481:United States