Finding Health Statistics: Federal Sources You Should Know

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Finding Health StatisticsFederal Sources You
Should Know

• Deborah E. Hile
• November 10, 1999

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Introduction

• Why federal web resources?
• What types of statistics are available?
• What methods are used for gathering statistics?
• What does the data look like?

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Why federal web resources?

• Government sites have a strong web presence.
• Agencies at all levels generate statistics.
• Statistical information widely available on the
  World Wide Web.
• Public domain easy to acquire.

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Types of Statistics

• Raw numbers
• Percentages
• Rankings
• Probabilities

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Methods for Gathering Calculating

• Censuses
• Surveys/Questionnaires
• Panels
• Tests
• Experiments

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What does the data look like?

• Full-text
• Abstracts
• Citations
• Graphs, tables, charts

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Federal Sources You Should Know

• FEDSTATS
• MMWR Weekly Report
• National Center for Health Statistics
• U.S. Bureau of the Census

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Why should I know these sites?

• Evaluation Criteria
• Currency of information
• Methods clearly explained
• Usability of the web site
• Additional software required?

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FEDSTATShttp//www.fedstats.gov
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FEDSTATShttp//www.fedstats.gov

• What is the incidence of the common cold?
• What are the 10 leading states reporting the
  highest of AIDS cases among residents?
• What is the percentage of children under age 18
  in very good or excellent health by poverty
  status?

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MMWR Weekly Reporthttp//www2.cdc.gov/mmwr/
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MMWR Weekly Reporthttp//www2.cdc.gov/mmwr/

• What are the ten leading causes of death?
• In 1998, how many confirmed cases of Salmonella
  infections were identified?
• What is the pregnancy success rate with assisted
  reproductive technology (ART)?

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National Center for Health Statisticshttp//www.c
dc.gov/nchswww/
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National Center for Health Statisticshttp//www.c
dc.gov/nchswww/

• What is the number of Americans estimated to be
  65 years of age and over in 2030?
• What do trends indicate about expectant mothers
  and smoking?
• In 1997, what was the average length of hospital
  stay for patients with HIV?

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U.S. Bureau of the Censushttp//www.census.gov

• What is the number of people under age 18 living
  in poverty in Salt Lake County, Utah?

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Wrap Up Web Searching Tips

• Avoid search engines to locate statistics.
• Use government agencies as starting points.
• Search individual sites using terms study, data,
  poll, report, survey, and research.
• Narrow results being format-specific figure,
  table, chart, graph, and caption.

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Wrap Up Web Searching Tips

• Do not attempt to search for specific numbers.
• Use number-indicating words increase, decline,
  rise, fastest-growing, odds, and probability.

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Thank you for your time!

• Deborah E. Hile
• 587-9247
• dhile_at_lib.med.utah.edu