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Comparative Analysis of the Public Health Role of Two Types of Death Investigation Systems in T exas: Application of Essential Services
Author(s) -
Drake Stacy A.,
Cron Stanley G.,
Giardino Angelo,
Trevino Vanessa,
Nolte Kurt B.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/1556-4029.12748
Subject(s) - public health , computer security , medical emergency , medicine , computer science , nursing
The purpose of this research was to assess the practices of death investigation agencies in Texas and to investigate the differences between justices of the peace ( JP s) and medical examiner perceptions of their role and responsibilities. A survey was conducted in which justices of the peace and medical examiners ( ME s) were questioned on their agency's policies and practices in regard to essential services provided using a recently published 50‐item instrument subdivided into 10 essential services areas. The study used a quantitative descriptive cross‐sectional design in which nonparametric analysis was used to ascertain differences between groups. The sample size for analysis was composed of 10 (83%) ME offices and 112 (15.5%) JP s. This statewide study found significant differences between ME s and JP s. These differences reflect the variation in educational background, understanding and implementation of essential services, and the appreciation of the needs of a system to be both collaborative and independent.