The frame of medical examiner and coroner (ME/C) offices was based on the 2004 CMEC and the 2017 National Forensic Laboratory Information Management System (NFLIS) Medical Examiners and Coroners Survey funded by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). ME/C offices received a teleform and link to a web-based form where they could complete information. Offices may have also completed the form via Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI). To bolster participation, non-responding offices were offered the opportunity to answer a short version of the form that contained 'critical-items'.
Data come from all ME/C offices
Cross-sectional
All publicly funded medical examiner and coroner offices
Medical examiner or coroner office
A total of 2,112 ME/C officers were identified during verification efforts and were initially contacted to participate in the study. Of these, 44 were deemed ineligible based on responses to screener questions and 31 offices were compiled with another office's response. Of the remaining 2,037 unique and eligible offices, 1,648 responded for a total response rate of about 81%. Of the respondents, a total of 1,341 (82%) responded to the long version of the survey, and 307 (18%) responded to the critical-items version of the survey.
Hide