Table 1 General characteristics of included studies
Criterion | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Publication year | ||
2008–2012 | 2 | 12.5% |
2013–2016 | 6 | 37.5%% |
2017–2019 | 8 | 50% |
Publication type | ||
Brief communication | 2 | 12.5% |
Original article/review | 5 | 31.25% |
Retrospective descriptive | 6 | 37.5% |
Systematic review | 1 | 6.25% |
Annual/government report | 1 | 6.25% |
Author manuscript | 1 | 6.25 |
Sector/country | ||
Nigeria | 1 | 6.25% |
Multiple countries including Mexico, Central America | 1 | 6.25% |
Tokyo/Japan | 1 | 6.25% |
Canada | 1 | 6.25% |
Australia/New Zealand | 4 | 25% |
Switzerland | 1 | 6.25% |
Denmark | 1 | 6.25% |
USA | 5 | 31.25% |
Italy | 1 | 6.25% |
Data system coverage | ||
National | 6 | 37.5% |
Almost complete national coverage | 4 | 27% |
Provincial/states | 5 | 31.25% |
Other/review | 1 | 6.25% |
Uses | ||
Diagnostic models/education | 3 | 18.75% |
Research | 15 | 93.75% |
Statistics | 6 | 37.5% |
Inform policy | 5 | 31.25% |
Information sharing | 5 | 31.25% |
Benefits | ||
Wide coverage | 9 | 56.25% |
Contribution to policies and epidemiology | 10 | 62.5% |
Data standardization | 4 | 27% |
Information security | 2 | 13% |
Anonymisation of data | 3 | 20% |
Data quality control | 7 | 47% |
Information sharing | 6 | 37.5% |
Challenges/limitations | ||
Underreporting/low-case numbers | 10 | 67% |
Data quality/validity (missing cases) | 8 | 53% |
Poor information exchange systems | 8 | 53% |
No standardization of data | 5 | 33% |
Ethical considerations | 2 | 13% |
Reporting bias/error/selection bias | 4 | 27% |
Implications of results | ||
Beneficial for research, policy making, prevention strategies, information exchange | 16 | 100% |
Level of sophistication: Simple beneficial database | 1 | 7% |
Sophisticated database: Multiple stakeholder involvement therefore beneficial outside Forensic Medicine-private companies, etc | 5 | 31.25% |