SUDORS Case Report - Retrieving and Refiling Records

Attachment D
SUDORS Data Elements

There are no standard paper data collection forms to be used by participating health departments because the
health departments will be abstracting information from electronic or paper vital statistics or medical examiner
or coroner (ME/C) records into the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) web-based data
system. This is a list of data elements that the 51 public health departments participating in SUDORS (50 states,
District of Columbia) must abstract. Specifically, participating health departments must abstract from death
certificates and ME/C reports: 1) key injury data elements and toxicology findings (See Table 1) and 2) data
elements that describe circumstances specific to drug overdose deaths (See Table 2). There are a few data
elements marked optional that participating health departments may or may not choose to collect.

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Table 1: SUDORS key injury and toxicology data elements
Incident information
Victim information (Continued)
Incident type
Date of death
Incident category (Automatically generated)
State or territory of death
Case status: Incident follow-up or complete
County of Death
Number of source documents in incident (Optional)
Immediate cause of death text
Number of persons in incident
Cause leading to immediate cause of death text
Number of weapons in incident
Next antecedent cause of death text
Date supervisor checked incident (Optional)
Underlying cause of death text
Date supervisor rechecked incident (Optional)
Other significant conditions contributing to death
Narrative of the incident
How injury occurred
Data sources used for case abstraction (Optional)
Underlying cause of death ICD-10 code
Abstractor name (Optional)
ICD10 4th (character)
Document notes
ICD10 5th (character)
Document type (Optional)
Autopsy performed
Source agency requested from (Optional)
State or territory where injury occurred
Date record requested (Optional)
County where injury occurred (FIPS code)
Date record re-requested (Optional)
City where injury occurred (FIPS code)
Date record received (Optional)
Date of injury
Date record abstracted/imported (Optional)
Time of injury
Date entered data checked (Optional)
Type of location where injured
Document determined to be unavailable (Optional)
Injured at work
Document notes field (Optional)
Injured at victim’s home
Victim information
US Census block group of injury (Optional)
Abstractor assigned manner of death
US Census tract of injury (Optional)
Manner of death on death certificate
Survival time no. of units
Manner of death per coroner/medical examiner
Unit of time used in survival time
Manner of death per LE (Optional)
Education by degree
Person type
Number years of education
Age
Usual occupation code
Age unit
Usual occupation text
Sex
Current occupation text
White
Kind of business/industry code
Black or African American
Usual industry text
Asian
Multiple conditions cause of death codes on death
Asian Indian
certificate 1-10
Chinese
Height
Filipino
Weight
Japanese
Sexual orientation
Korean
Recent release from an institution
Vietnamese
ZIP code of injury
Other Asian
EMS at scene
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Homeless status
Native Hawaiian
Housing instability
Guamanian or Chamorro
Victim in custody when injured
Samoan
Day of birth (Optional)
Other Pacific Islander
First initial of last name (Optional)
American Indian or Alaskan Native
Last 4 digits of coroner/medical examiner report number
Other Race
(Optional)
Unspecified Race
Last 4 digits of death certificate number (Optional)
Hispanic/Latino/Spanish
Children present and/or witnessed fatal injury
Country of residence
Alcohol use suspected when injured
State of residence
Toxicology
County of residence
Toxicology information unavailable
City of residence
No substance(s) given as cause of death
Zip code of residence
Date specimens were collected

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US Census block group of residence (Optional)
US Census tract of residence (Optional)
Birth state, territory, or country
Birth country, if other
Current or former military personnel
Marital status
Relationship status
Sex of partner
Victim was pregnant
Place of death
Place of death, if other
Date pronounced dead

Time specimens were collected
Name of substance
Category of substance (Automatically generated)
Code for substance (Automatically generated)
Toxicologic test performed to detect the substance
Results of toxicologic test for the substance
Substance contributed to death
Person for whom substance was prescribed
Weapons
Weapon type

Table 1: SUDORS key injury and toxicology data elements (continued)
Summary toxicology
Suicide and undetermined intent circumstance variables
Testing for alcohol
that can be completed for unintentional or undetermined
Alcohol test results
intent drug overdose deaths (*Indicates crisis information
Blood alcohol concentration results
collected with a checkbox)
Testing for amphetamines
Circumstances available from Coroner/Medical Examiner
Amphetamine test results
Current depressed mood
Testing for antidepressants
Current diagnosed mental health problem
Antidepressant test results
Type of first mental illness diagnosed
Testing for cocaine
Type of second mental illness diagnosed
Cocaine test results
Other mental health diagnosis
Testing for marijuana
Current mental health/substance use/misuse treatment
Marijuana test results
Current treatment for mental health problem
Testing for opiate(s)
Current treatment for substance use/misuse problem
Opiate test results
Ever treated for mental health or substance use/misuse
Testing for anticonvulsants
problem
Anticonvulsants test results
Ever treated for mental health problem
Testing for antipsychotic
Ever treated for substance use/misuse problem
Antipsychotic test results
Non-adherence to mental health/substance abuse treatment
Testing for barbiturates
Non-adherence to treatment for mental health problem
Barbiturates test results
Non-adherence to treatment for substance use/misuse
Testing for benzodiazepines
problem
Benzodiazepines test results
Alcohol problem
Testing for muscle relaxants
Other substance abuse problem
Muscle relaxants test result
Other addiction
Testing for carbon monoxide
History of traumatic brain injury
Carbon monoxide results
Disaster exposure
Carbon monoxide source, if present
Person left a suicide note
Toxicology Comments
Recently disclosed suicidal thoughts/plans
Hospital information
Disclosed suicidal intent to whom
Victim seen in ED
History of suicide attempts
Victim admitted to inpatient care
History of expressed suicidal thoughts or plans
First external cause of injury code from hospital (Optional)
History of non-suicidal self-injury/self-harm
Second external cause of injury code from hospital
Suicide of friend or family (Optional)^
(Optional)
Other crisis in past two weeks or upcoming two weeks
Non-suicide death of friend or family (Optional)^
Contributing physical health problem (Optional)^
Intimate partner violence (Optional)^
Intimate partner problem (Optional)^
Family relationship problem (Optional)^
Caregiver burden (Optional)^
Family stressor (Optional)^
Household known to local authorities (Optional)^

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Victim known to authorities (Optional)^
Other relationship problem (Optional)^
Job problem (Optional)^
School problem (Optional)^
Financial problem (Optional)^
Contributing criminal legal problem (Optional)^
Civil legal problems (Optional)^
Previous perpetrator of violence in the past month
(Optional)^
Previous victim of violence in the past month (Optional)^
Anniversary of a traumatic event (Optional)^
Abuse or neglect led to death (Optional)^
History of abuse or neglect as a child (Optional)^
Eviction/loss of home (Optional)^
Physical fight (2 people) (Optional)^
Argument (Optional)^
Timing of most recent argument (Optional)^
Prior Child Protective Services (CPS) report on a child
victim’s household (Optional)^
Substance abuse in child victim’s household (Optional)^
Living transition/loss of independent living (Optional)^
^Recipients also funded by the National Violent Death Reporting System (CDC-RFA-CE18-1804) are required to collect
additional circumstance data elements (listed as optional in the table) as well as law enforcement data elements (not listed in
table) on drug overdose deaths of undetermined intent. While these data are not required as part of SUDORS, these data will be
shared with the CDC SUDORS team.

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Table 2: Unique SUDORS data elements collected on drug overdose deaths
Case classification
Scene indications of drug abuse (continued)
SUDORS case
Evidence of prescription drugs at scene (continued)
SUDORS Case Classification (Automatically generated)
Liquid at scene
No information on context surrounding the overdose death
Lozenges/lollipops at scene
Drug overdose/poisoning
Prescription vial at scene
Type of drug poisoning
Witness report of prescription drug use
Date last known alive before overdose
Other evidence of prescription drug use
Time last known alive before overdose
Evidence of use of prescription fentanyl at scene or by
Date found unresponsive
witness report
Time found unresponsive
Evidence of illegal drug use
Substance use/misuse and treatment history
Powder at scene
Previous drug overdose
Witness report of illegal drug use
Previous overdose occurred 0-2 days prior
Counterfeit pills at scene
Previous overdose occurred 3-7 days prior
Tar at scene
Recent return to use of opioids
Crystal at scene
Recent return to use of non-opioid or unspecified
Evidence of illegal drug packaging
substance(s)
Other illegal drug evidence
Cocaine
Response to drug overdose
Methamphetamine
Naloxone administered
Benzodiazepines
Unknown whether naloxone administered
Unspecified
Naloxone not administered
Other non-opioid return to use - specify
Total number of naloxone doses by first
Recent emergency department or urgent care visit
responders/health care
Treatment for substance use disorder
Total number of naloxone doses by layperson(s)
Inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation
Naloxone administered by unknown
Medications for opioid use disorder, or MOUD
Naloxone administered by law enforcement
Cognitive/behavioral therapy
Naloxone administered by EMS/fire
Narcotics Anonymous
Naloxone administered by hospital (ED/inpatient)
Other type of substance use disorder treatment
Naloxone administered by other source
Involved with criminal justice system (perpetrator)
Naloxone administered by layperson
No evidence of current or past drug use/misuse
Layperson was person using drugs
Heroin use history
Layperson was intimate partner
Prescription opioid misuse history
Layperson was friend
Unspecified opioid use/misuse history
Layperson was coworker
Fentanyl use history
Layperson was other family
Cocaine use history
Layperson was roommate
Methamphetamine use history
Layperson was a stranger
Benzodiazepine misuse history
Other type of layperson
Cannabis (marijuana) use history
Drug use witnessed
Drug use/misuse, substance unspecified
Bystander present at overdose
Other drug use/misuse history
Person using drugs present as bystander
Evidence of drug use
Intimate partner present as bystander
Any evidence of drug use at scene
Other family present as bystander
No evidence of drug use
Friend present as bystander
Non-specific drug use evidence
Coworker present as bystander
Evidence of rapid overdose
Stranger present as bystander
Tourniquet around arm
Roommate present as bystander
Body position consistent with rapid overdose
Medical professional present as bystander
Needle location
Unknown type of bystander present
Witness report of rapid overdose
Other type of bystander present
Other evidence of rapid overdose
Layperson response other than naloxone
No information on route of administration
CPR performed during response
Evidence of injection drug use
Rescue breathing during response
Track marks on victim
Sternal rub during response
Needles/syringes at scene
Stimulation during response

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Tourniquet at scene
Filters at scene
Cookers at scene
Witness report of injection drug use
Other evidence of injection drug use
Evidence of snorting/sniffing
Straws
Rolled paper or dollar bills
Razor blades
Powder on table/mirror
Powder on decedent’s nose
Witness report of snorting/sniffing
Other snorting/sniffing evidence
Evidence of smoking
Pipes
Tinfoil
Vape pens or e-cigarettes
Bon or bowl
Witness report of smoking
Other smoking evidence
Evidence of transdermal exposure
Evidence of ingestion
Evidence of suppository
Evidence of sublingual
Evidence of buccal
Evidence of unspecified drug type
Evidence of prescription drug use
Prescription drug(s) prescribed to victim
Prescription drug(s) not prescribed to victim
Prescription drug(s) with unknown prescription
Evidence of prescription drugs at scene
Pills/tablets at scene
Patch at scene
Prescription bottle at scene

Other type of layperson response

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Table 2 Unique SUDORS data elements collected on drug overdose deaths (continued)
Response to drug overdose (continued)
Medical history
Reasons for no or delayed response to overdose
COPD (Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease)
Bystander did not recognize any abnormalities
Asthma
Bystander was using substances or drinking alcohol and
Sleep apnea
impaired
Other breathing problem
Public space and strangers didn’t intervene
Heart disease
Bystander reported abnormalities but did not recognize
Diagnosed hypertension
as overdose
Obesity
Bystander spatially separated (i.e., different room)
Hepatitis C
Bystander was unaware that decedent was using drugs
HIV/AIDS
Bystander was asleep
Diabetes
No response-other
History of major injury
Presence of pulse on first-responder arrival
Treated for pain at time of injury
First responders responses excluding administering
Migraine
naloxone
Back pain
CPR
Other pain
Rescue breathing
Prescription information
Epinephrine administered
Use of prescription morphine
Transport to ED performed
Prescription morphine narrative
Provided oxygen
Prescribed buprenorphine
Other first-responder intervention
Prescribed buprenorphine for pain
Prescribed buprenorphine for MOUD
Prescribed buprenorphine for unknown reason
Prescribed methadone
Prescribed methadone for pain
Prescribed methadone for MOUD
Prescribed methadone for unknown reason
Prescribed naltrexone
Prescribed methadone for alcohol use
Prescribed methadone for MOUD
Prescribed methadone for unknown reason
Prescribed fentanyl
Number of opioid prescriptions in 30 days preceding injury
(Optional)
Number of pharmacies dispensing opioids to decedent in
180 days preceding injury (Optional)
Number of doctors writing opioid prescriptions to the
decedent in the 180 days preceding injury (Optional)

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