Health data are gathered from a number of different types of sources from organizations working at the national, state and local levels. Data quality, collection methodology and accessibility will vary considerably. The source, collection methodology, purpose of collection, and limitations should be considered when evaluating and using data and statistics.
Some important sources of health data are:
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) The umbrella agency under which most national health data and statistics programs operate. These include Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), among others.
- Centers for Diseases Control (CDC) The CDC is a part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and is the primary federal agency for public health.
Data and Statistics: This is the starting point for health statistics from the CDC. Browse by topic, view publications, and links to interactive tools, surveys and more.
CDC Wonder: A portal to several CDC databases concerning health-related topics for public health information and numerical data sets such as AIDS/STDs, risk behaviors (the Behavioral Risk Surveillance System), mortality and natality statistics.
- National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) The NCHS is the nation's principal health statistics agency. It is a unit of the CDC. The NCHS homepage is also a central point for health statistics browsable by topic, links to surveys, publications, and other online tools.
- World Health Organization (WHO) The World Health Organization is an agency of the United Nations and is an international coordinating agency for public health.
Useful WHO databases for data and statistics include:
Global Health Observatory (providing national statistics for health indicators),
Global Health Observatory Map Gallery Includes an extensive list of maps on major health topics.
-Adapted from Cornell University Mann Library guide: Finding Health Data and Statistics: Getting Started
Statistics Databases
- PolicyMap This link opens in a new window Easy-to-use online mapping with data on demographics, real estate, health, jobs and more in communities across the US.
- Social Explorer This link opens in a new window Provides demographic data for the U.S. from 1790 to present. Its interactive maps can be viewed, queried and manipulated at a variety of geographic levels, including neighborhoods, counties, and state. Custom reports and maps can be generated using the "Maps" and "Reports" tabs and can be saved by creating a personal account.
This link opens in a new window
- Social Explorer ProfilesHelps you find demographic profiles of your community. Visualizes data and groups with vibrant and meaningful charts. by topic.
- Social Explorer TablesSelected data tables including American Community Survey data and US Health data.
This video from Portland State University Library outlines the basics of accessing demographic data in Social Explorer. It shows how to access the map view, and how to view two different data variables side-by-side on the Social Explorer map..