Are Newspapers a Viable Source for Intentional Injury Surveillance Data?

The current study sought to determine whether newspaper accounts of intentional injuries could provide a reliable source of primary or secondary surveillance data. Newspaper accounts of intentional injuries occuring in Jefferson County, Alabama, between January 1st, 1991 & December 31, 1991, were compared with similar data from official government agencies. Much information of potential value was found to be excluded from newspapers, leading the authors to conclude that they were neither a valid nor reliable source for intentional injury surveillance purposes.