title: Developing a Minimum Data Set for an Information Management System to Study Traffic Accidents in Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Each year, around 1.2 million people die in the road traffic incidents. Reducing traffic accidents requires an exact understanding of the risk factors associated with traffic patterns and behaviors. Properly analyzing these factors calls for a comprehensive system for collecting and processing accident data.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to develop a minimum data set (MDS) for an information management system to study traffic accidents in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed in 2014. Data were collected from the traffic police, trauma centers, medical emergency centers, and via the internet. The investigated resources for this study were forms, databases, and documents retrieved from the internet. Forms and databases were identical, and one sample of each was evaluated. The related internet-sourced data were evaluated in their entirety. Data were collected using three checklists. In order to arrive at a consensus about the data elements, the decision Delphi technique was applied using questionnaires. The content validity and reliability of the questionnaires were assessed by experts' opinions and the test-retest method, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An (MDS) of a traffic accident information management system was assigned to three sections: a minimum data set for traffic police with six classes, including 118 data elements; a trauma center with five data classes, including 57 data elements; and a medical emergency center, with 11 classes, including 64 data elements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Planning for the prevention of traffic accidents requires standardized data. As the foundation for crash prevention efforts, existing standard data infrastructures present policymakers and government officials with a great opportunity to strengthen and integrate existing accident information systems to better track road traffic injuries and fatalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Information Technology, Paramedical School, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Information Management, School of Management and Medical Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran; Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.affiliation: Geomatics College of National Cartographic Center of Iran, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gharagozlu
keywords: Accidents; Emergencies; Traffic; Trauma Centers