Collection of Level 2 data will generally require special resources. NDS-IS Level 3 is intended to provide for more detailed collection than Level 2. This may be required for special studies, or for surveillance focusing on a particular type of injury. Level 3 has yet to be developed. The National Data Standards for Injury Surveillance are intended for use in a wide range of settings in which information necessary for injury surveillance is collected.
Special priority is given to collection in hospital emergency departments.
An important reason for the development of the NDS-IS is to provide a standard for injury surveillance information to facilitate the comparisons between data collected in different places and at different times. Level 1 consists of five core injury data items, with associated simple classifications that define the recommended minimum to be collected. Level 2 provides more detailed classifications and additional data items, and is the level of collection preferred by injury control personnel for use in emergency departments and other settings where resources are available for proper collection and use of the data. A recommendation concerning general case information that should be obtained. AIHW National Injury Surveillance Unit.