Feasibility of expanding NEISS-AIP to create a scientific database on violence and disability

Abstract

Background This study identifies a feasible approach to an evidence-based source of information about violence and disability. Objective The purpose was to determine the feasibility of using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP) to collect data about violence and disability, by identifying intentional injuries of patients with disabilities in NEISS hospital emergency departments. Methods Protocols were developed for collecting information about essential variables on violence and disability, training of NEISS hospital coordinators and emergency department staff, and evaluating the procedures by NEISS hospital coordinators. Ten NEISS hospital emergency departments were selected at random from the total of 64 NEISS hospitals. The protocols were applied in a data collection effort of 6 months. The data were weighted and sent to the researcher for further examination and analysis. Feasibility was determined by the evidence provided by the data collection and analysis and examination of the program evaluation questionnaire completed by each of the NEISS hospital coordinators. Results Inspection of the data and the evaluations completed by the NEISS hospital coordinators supported the feasibility of the study with a recommendation for more intense training to better categorize the type of disabilities in the future study population. Conclusions The utilization of NEISS-AIP for the purpose of developing a more scientific database on violence and disability with capability of providing national estimates is feasible. Based on this feasibility study, the researcher will move to the next stage of an expanded study.