Injuries affect people in every community in North Carolina – from car crashes and falls to overdoses and violence. Many of these injuries can be prevented, but we need to first understand when, where and how they happen.
That’s where injury data comes in.
The NCDHHS Injury and Violence Prevention Branch (IVPB) collects and studies injury data across the state. This work helps us spot trends, find groups at higher risk and understand what is causing harm. We use this information to guide programs, support communities and make decisions that help keep people safe.
To make injury data easier to use and understand, IVPB has created a new North Carolina Injury Data Users Toolkit. This toolkit is designed for anyone who wants to learn more about injury data – whether you work in public health, health care, education or just want to better understand what is happening in your community.
How to Use the Toolkit
Look through the North Carolina Injury Data Users Toolkit and share your feedback on the content and how easy it is to use. Please respond by April 17, 2026.
You can fill out an anonymous survey to give your feedback, or you can email Sara Smith if you want to share your comments directly with the team.
What’s Inside the Injury Data Users Toolkit
Injury Surveillance Data Resource Briefs
- Explains what you need to know about injury data.
- Gives an overview of topics like case definitions, data suppression, provisional data, and understanding counts and rates.
- Describes major injury and violence data sources, how injury data are processed, and how IVPB monitors injuries and violence in North Carolina.
Topic-Specific Data Resource Briefs
- Provides information about using data on different types of injuries.
- Currently includes resources about overdose data.
- More resources — covering suicide, firearm injury, alcohol, motor vehicle crashes, falls, drowning and traumatic brain injury — are coming soon.
Interactive Data Resource Inventory
- A searchable table with all data resources created by IVPB, with direct links to each one.
Acronym Dictionary
- A searchable list of common acronyms used by IVPB and other public health partners.
Why This Matters
Data is more than numbers. It tells a story about what is happening in our communities. When we understand that story, we can take action.
By using injury data, we can:
- Find problems early
- Focus resources where they are needed most
- Create programs that work
- Track progress over time
The North Carolina Injury Data Users Toolkit is one more way IVPB is helping partners and communities turn data into action – and action into safer, healthier lives.