Limitations of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Information As Reported in the National Violent Death Reporting System

Overview

Journal LGBT Health

Specialties Health Services
Public Health
Social Sciences

Date 2023 Nov 8

PMID 37939269

Authors

Kirsty A Clark

John R Blosnich

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) restricted-access database detailing precipitating circumstances to U.S. violent deaths. In 2013 and 2015, the CDC added codes denoting sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) and sex of partner. In the past decade, researchers have leveraged NVDRS data to document SOGI-related patterns and characteristics of violent death including suicide. Yet, there are substantial limitations to NVDRS SOGI information that should be considered in responsible reporting by researchers and informed assessment by reviewers. In this perspective, we summarize some of these challenges and offer recommendations for using NVDRS SOGI data responsibly.

Citing Articles

National Incidence of Physician Suicide and Associated Features.

Makhija H, Davidson J, Lee K, Barnes A, Choflet A, Zisook S JAMA Psychiatry. 2025; .

PMID: 40009369 PMC: 11866070. DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.4816.

A scoping review of empirical research on firearms and firearm violence among sexual and gender minority populations in the United States.

Correll-King W, Crifasi C, Gamarel K Ann Behav Med. 2025; 59(1).

PMID: 39774605 PMC: 11707541. DOI: 10.1093/abm/kaae094.

References

Haas A, Lane A, Blosnich J, Butcher B, Mortali M . Collecting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Information at Death. Am J Public Health. 2018; 109(2):255-259. PMC: 6336043. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2018.304829. View

Hjelmeland H, Dieserud G, Dyregrov K, Knizek B, Leenaars A . Psychological autopsy studies as diagnostic tools: are they methodologically flawed?. Death Stud. 2014; 36(7):605-26. PMC: 3662079. DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2011.584015. View

Clark K, Cochran S, Maiolatesi A, Pachankis J . Prevalence of Bullying Among Youth Classified as LGBTQ Who Died by Suicide as Reported in the National Violent Death Reporting System, 2003-2017. JAMA Pediatr. 2020; 174(12):1211-1213. PMC: 7251501. DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.0940. View

Conron K, Landers S, Reisner S, Sell R . Sex and gender in the US health surveillance system: a call to action. Am J Public Health. 2014; 104(6):970-6. PMC: 4062023. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301831. View

Levy B . The need for informatics to support forensic pathology and death investigation. J Pathol Inform. 2015; 6:32. PMC: 4485186. DOI: 10.4103/2153-3539.158907. View

Blair J, Fowler K, Jack S, Crosby A . The National Violent Death Reporting System: overview and future directions. Inj Prev. 2016; 22 Suppl 1:i6-11. PMC: 6049659. DOI: 10.1136/injuryprev-2015-041819. View

Nazarov O, Guan J, Chihuri S, Li G . Research utility of the National Violent Death Reporting System: a scoping review. Inj Epidemiol. 2019; 6:18. PMC: 6582674. DOI: 10.1186/s40621-019-0196-9. View

Mays V, Cochran S . Challenges and Opportunities for Modernizing the National Violent Death Reporting System. Am J Public Health. 2019; 109(2):192-194. PMC: 6336035. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2018.304891. View

Patten M, Carmichael H, Moore A, Velopulos C . Circumstances of Suicide Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Individuals. J Surg Res. 2021; 270:522-529. DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2021.08.029. View

10.

Salway T, Ross L, Fehr C, Burley J, Asadi S, Hawkins B . A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Disparities in the Prevalence of Suicide Ideation and Attempt Among Bisexual Populations. Arch Sex Behav. 2018; 48(1):89-111. DOI: 10.1007/s10508-018-1150-6. View

11.

Blosnich J, Butcher B, Mortali M, Lane A, Haas A . Training Death Investigators to Identify Decedents' Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: A Feasibility Study. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2021; 43(1):40-45. PMC: 8813878. DOI: 10.1097/PAF.0000000000000705. View

12.

Arseniev-Koehler A, Cochran S, Mays V, Chang K, Foster J . Integrating topic modeling and word embedding to characterize violent deaths. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022; 119(10):e2108801119. PMC: 8915886. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2108801119. View

13.

Haas A, Eliason M, Mays V, Mathy R, Cochran S, DAugelli A . Suicide and suicide risk in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations: review and recommendations. J Homosex. 2011; 58(1):10-51. PMC: 3662085. DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2011.534038. View

14.

Sell R . Challenges and Solutions to Collecting Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data. Am J Public Health. 2017; 107(8):1212-1214. PMC: 5508182. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2017.303917. View

15.

Blosnich J . Interpersonal and self-directed violence among sexual and gender minority populations: Moving research from prevalence to prevention. Curr Epidemiol Rep. 2023; 9(3):142-160. PMC: 9957556. DOI: 10.1007/s40471-022-00299-4. View

16.

Walters J, Mew M, Repp K . Transgender and Nonbinary Deaths Investigated by the State Medical Examiner in the Portland, Oregon, Metro Area and Their Concordance With Vital Records, 2011-2021. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2022; 29(1):64-70. DOI: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000001582. View

17.

Clark K, Blosnich J, Haas A, Cochran S . Estimate of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth Suicide Is Inflated. J Adolesc Health. 2019; 64(6):810. PMC: 7422953. DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.03.003. View

18.

Hanzlick R . Medical examiners, coroners, and public health: a review and update. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2006; 130(9):1274-82. DOI: 10.5858/2006-130-1274-MECAPH. View

19.

Clark K, Mays V, Arah O, Kheifets L, Cochran S . Sexual Orientation Differences in Lethal Methods Used in Suicide: Findings From the National Violent Death Reporting System. Arch Suicide Res. 2020; 26(2):548-564. PMC: 7937759. DOI: 10.1080/13811118.2020.1811181. View

20.

Lyons B, Walters M, Jack S, Petrosky E, Blair J, Ivey-Stephenson A . Suicides Among Lesbian and Gay Male Individuals: Findings From the National Violent Death Reporting System. Am J Prev Med. 2019; 56(4):512-521. PMC: 6886000. DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2018.11.012. View