The dataset contains a number of attributes of an individual including the International Classification of Disease (currently version 10) codes relating to the causes of death, which are added by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The dataset is a compilation of death records from each of the State and Territory Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDMs) and from the State and Chief Coroners through the National Coronial Information System (NCIS). The dataset includes both coronial and registry data. Available data items include age at death, gender, date of death, state/territory of usual residence, underlying cause of death, coroner case flag.

The cause of death unit record file (COD URF) is a dataset containing information relating to all deaths registered in Australia for a given reference year. The dataset contains deaths registered in Victoria only and is not dependent on the place of usual residence. For example, if a person who usually resides in Victoria died in another jurisdiction, the record will not be available in the Victorian COD URF outputs.

The COD URF is not warranted as free from discrepancies. While the data custodians (source agencies) and the ABS undertake a variety of quality assurance checks, discrepancies arise in collecting, recording and processing data, including a small percentage of records which may be duplicates. The COD URF records are compiled and coded by the ABS based on data from the source agencies that are correct as at a point in time. As the Registry and Coroner databases are continual databases, amendments, cancellations and other actions may occur at later dates, post supply of the original information to the ABS.

Access to Cause of Death Unit Record File (COD URF) data is only available to approved applicants for statistical or research purposes. The COD URF is intended to be a snapshot of data for use in providing statistical outputs and/or research publications, not for individual interrogation of records/cases.

Victorian state data

For the COD URF each jurisdictional State/Chief Coroner, as represented by the National Coronial Information System (NCIS), and the Registrars of each jurisdictional Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages are the collective data custodians as they each contribute data to the national COD URF data set. These agencies collect the data from individuals under their respective legislation.