Library Guides: Health Sciences: Data and Statistics

Definitions

Data are raw numbers collected and stored at the level at which the unit of analysis was observed. Data must be processed to be of practical use.

Statistics are analyzed raw data reported in a meaningful format.

Datasets are the major unit of data storage and retrieval consisting of a collection of data in a prescribed arrangement or format.

Finding and Using Health Statistics
Look for the guide from the National Library of Medicine: explains the scope of available health statistics and identifies key sources

Area Resource File (ARF)
Database containing more than 6,000 variables for each of the nation's counties including health facilities, health professions, measures of resource scarcity, health status
Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR)
Economic and demographic data on Florida and its local areas
CDC SNAPS
Center for Disease Control local-level community profile information
CDC Youth Violence: State Statistics
Center for Disease Control statistics on homicide and non-fatal assault-related injury rates
Florida CHARTS.
Public health information in a variety of formats including maps and interactive mapping applications
Florida Department of Health, Environmental Public Health Tracking
MyFlorida.com
Statistics and Reports page

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Data and Surveys
Center for Disease Control (CDC) Data & Statistics
Health statistics from the CDC
HHS Data Gateway to Data and Statistics
Health and Human Services (HHS) information, data and reports from federal, state and local governments
MedlinePlus
Health Statistics - Consumer-oriented information provided by the National Library of Medicine
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
Principal health statistics agency of the US
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Statistics
PH Partners (Partners in Info Access for the Public Health Workforce)
Health Data Tools and Statistics
US Census Bureau
Finding tools for census data and publications, as well as links to related information from other agencies

CIA Factbook
Information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 266 countries
FAO Statistics
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
SourceOECD
Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development publications
US Census Bureau - International Data Base (IDB)
Tabular data for countries and regions as well as demographic indicators, population pyramids and source information for countries
WHO Data and Statistics
The World Health Organization (WHO) is an agency of the United Nations and an international coordinating agency for public health
Data and Statistics includes four databases:
- Global Health Observatory
- WHO Global InfoBase Online
- Global Health Atlas
- Regional Statistics

Demographics Now
Preformatted, customizable reports on demographic data including age, income, housing, employment, consumer expenditures, and race

USA.gov/statistics
Gateway to statistics and data access tools from over 100 US federal agencies

Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2012
US Census Bureau annual publication offering statistics from federal agencies and numerous state, local, and non-governmental statistics
Health, United States, 2014
Annual report charts trends in health statistics and includes a "chartbook" section featuring a special topic each year
Healthy People 2020
Healthy People provides science-based, 10-year national objectives for improving the health of all Americans. From the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services.