RD26 - Office of the Chief Medical Examiner’s Annual Report, 2008


Executive Summary:
Introduction

This report represents the deaths investigated by the Virginia Department of Health, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in 2008.

Data Collection and Preparation

The data in this report reflects deaths accepted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) pursuant to §32.1-283 of the Code of Virginia for the 2008 calendar year. These deaths are both Virginia residents and non-residents whose deaths generally occurred within the borders of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Virginia OCME classifies these deaths by its own coding schema which differs from mortality data published by other OCME surveillance groups, law enforcement agencies, the Virginia Center for Health Statistics, and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Therefore, any discrepancies between data presented by the OCME and other nosology groups are the result of data collection and analytic variations among these groups.

Statistical Summary

• Data entitled “Total Cases” is based on both Virginia residents and non-Virginia residents who have come under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

• Rates

* Based on only Virginia residents (Residential Rates)

* Are per 100,000 of the specific population being described

• Race/Ethnicity

* Hispanic ethnicity may be of any race

* All races represent those who are not of Hispanic ethnicity

* Indian refers to subcontinental India

• Percents may equal to above or below 100 percent due to rounding