LibGuides: Public Health 102-01 Health Promotion (Hurd): Statistics & Data

Using Google to Locate Statistics

You can also search the web for stats related to health issues.
Since many government agencies collect data/statistics, it can be useful to narrow search results to government sites with site:.gov.
You can also use the word stats or statistics to narrow the search.

Example searches:

obesity statistics site:.gov
- The first result is from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
"mental health" stats site:.gov
- The first result is from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
"valley fever" incidence merced county california site:.gov
- The first result is from the CDC.

National Data & Statistics

Health Services Research Information Central
A comprehensive listing of data resources and tools from the National Library of Medicine.
Healthy People.gov
Healthy People 2020 provides a comprehensive set of 10-year, national goals and objectives for improving the health of all Americans. Healthy People 2020 contains 42 topic areas with more than 1,200 objectives. A smaller set of Healthy People 2020 objectives, called Leading Health Indicators (LHIs), have been selected to communicate high-priority health issues and actions that can be taken to address them.
Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project
HCUP tools and software help health services researchers and decision makers access the largest collection of longitudinal hospital care data in the United States.
Minority Population Health Profiles (Office of Minority Health)
The profiles provide detailed demographic, language fluency (where relevant), education, economic, insurance coverage and health status information, as well as full census reports. Includes profiles for Black/African-American Health, American Indian/Alaska Native Health, Asian-American Health, Hispanic/Latino Health, and Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Health.
Resource Center for Minority Data
Data pertaining to issues affecting racial and ethnic minority populations including housing, health, education, and income.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The NIH includes 27 institutes and centers. Each institute/center has a website that can be explored to find related data/statistics.
National Vital Statistics System
The National Vital Statistics System is the oldest and most successful example of inter-governmental data sharing in Public Health and the shared relationships, standards, and procedures form the mechanism by which NCHS collects and disseminates the Nation’s official vital statistics. These data are provided through contracts between NCHS and vital registration systems operated in the various jurisdictions legally responsible for the registration of vital events – births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and fetal deaths.

Population & Census Data

American FactFinder (U.S. Census Bureau)
Maps > Thematic maps
Reference Shelf leads to “Demographic Profiles” and “Demographic Trends in the 20th Century”

Statistical Abstract of the U.S.
Provides access to authoritative and comprehensive statistics on the social, political, and economic conditions of the United States.

Immigration Data & Statistics
From the Department of Homeland Security, data collected to evaluate social, economic, environmental and demographic impact of immigration laws.

Childhood Stats

Kids Count Data Center
Kids Count Data Center from the Anne E. Casey Foundation, includes data at the state, county, city, and district level for a variety of health and demographic indicators.
The State of Obesity: Childhood Trends
From the Trust for America's Health Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, state level information on obesity and additional nutrition related issues.
Child Health
Statistics from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. Includes "fast facts" and links to more specific diseases and conditions.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

CDC Chronic Disease Indicators
Filter statistics by state and condition.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics
Statistics and data for diseases and conditions, injuries, and more.
CDC Wonder
Online databases for the analysis of public health data.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The Diseases & Conditions page provides information and statistics on hundreds of health issues.
Data.CDC.Gov
Data portal for selected diseases and conditions; access to the National Center for Health Statistics.
Public Health Professionals Gateway: Data & Benchmarks
Culled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Sources for Data on Social Determinants of Health
Culled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

National Surveys

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
NHANES is program of studies designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States. The survey is unique in that it combines interviews and physical examinations.
National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
NHIS has monitored the health of the nation since 1957. NHIS data on a broad range of health topics are collected through personal household interviews. For over 50 years, the U.S. Census Bureau has been the data collection agent for the National Health Interview Survey. Survey results have been instrumental in providing data to track health status, health care access, and progress toward achieving national health objectives.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
National College Health Assessment
Comprehensive data from the American College Health Association for indicators such as mental and physical health, substance use, sexual health, weight and nutrition, and impediments to academic performance.

Merced County & California Resources

Merced County Department of Public Health
Look at the documents in Community Health Data and Reports.

County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Provides access to county-by-county data related to factors that influence health: smoking, obesity, poverty, access to health care, etc. Compiled by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

California Department of Public Health (Infectious Disease Branch)
The CA Department of Public Health Surveillance and Statistics Section collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates data from local health jurisdictions on over 60 reportable communicable diseases.
America's Health Rankings: California
America's Health Rankings from the United Health Foundation, calculated from factors encompassing behaviors, environment and community, public and health policies, and clinical care.
State Health Facts: California (Kaiser Family Foundation)
California Health Interview Survey (CHIS)
The nation's largest state health survey and a critical source of data on Californians as well as on the state's various racial and ethnic groups.

Find Statistics & Data Related to Your Population

Which organizations or entities care enough about health issues to collect statistics / data about them?

Who has the authority to collect this type of statistics / data?

Questions adapted from Promoting Data Literacy at the Grassroots. ACRL 2015.

5200 N. Lake Road
Merced, CA 95343
library@ucmerced.edu
(209) 228-4444