title: Use of national data systems for firearm-related injury surveillance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of federal data systems that report national data on fatal and nonfatal firearm-related injuries and associated risk factors and behaviors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There are 13 federal data systems that provide useful information for national surveillance of firearm-related injuries in the United States. Each data system has useful features and limitations. Each provides a different methodologic approach to capture data for monitoring and characterizing firearm-related deaths or injuries, or behavioral risks associated with unintentional and violent events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although much progress has been made over the past decade to improve national data on firearm-related injuries, many gaps still remain. A mechanism is needed to better coordinate and integrate federal efforts to collect, analyze, and disseminate data on firearm-related injury.
authors.affiliation: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3724, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Annest
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mercy
mesh_terms: D019352:Censuses; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003644:Death Certificates; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D009309:National Center for Health Statistics, U.S.; D009314:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S.; D016495:Police; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*