LibGuides: PBHL3040/PBHL3042: Health Research Methods: Online Health Resources

Statista Database

There are many places to find health statistics online. Below are some useful links, although this list is not exhaustive. The U.S. government is tasked with collecting information on a variety of topics, and individual organizations are also great places to look.

If you are struggling to find statistics or demographic information about your topic, explore the options below, or search the internet (see Finding Stats Online section).

Statista This link opens in a new window
The Statista database is a portal to statistical information, pulling together data on over 80.000 topics from over 18.000 sources onto a single platform. Categorized into 21 market sectors, Statista.com provides companies, business customers, research institutions, and the academic community with direct access to quantitative data on media, business, finance, politics, and a wide variety of other areas of interest or markets. Data sources include market research reports, such as the Ipsos Affluent Survey published annually by Ipsos Media, Simmons National Consumer Studies and Consumer Insights from Scarborough Research, as well as trade publications, scientific journals, and government databases. For each statistic, Statista provides available information about the source, release date, number of respondents, and any other relevant details to facilitate verification. The data can easily be exported to graphic formats, Excel, or PowerPoint for analysis or incorporation into presentations.
Statistical Abstract of the United States This link opens in a new window
The Statistical Abstract of the United States is the most authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. It offers convenient access to a wide variety of data on such topics as population, education, elections, all major sectos of the economy, health and nutrition, government, science and technology, transportation, housing, and much more. Every table in the Statistical Abstract provides citations to more extensive and detailed sources of data for its subject, which also makes it an efficient guide to data sources. The data in the Statistical Abstract is drawn from the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and many other Federal agencies and private organizations. [2013 - Present]

U.S. Census
A great place to find demographic information pulled from various surveys and the decennial census.

National & State Health Statistics

Healthy People 2030
Healthy People provides 10 year national objectives for improving the health of all Americans. This site provides a wealth of information including benchmarks, interventions and preventive activities.
NIH - National Institute on Aging
Federal government site that compiles aging-related data and statistics from various government agencies
County Health Rankings
Provides access to 50 state reports which rank counties by health outcomes and health factors.
FASTATS
This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site provides access to a variety of public health statistics, organized alphabetically by topic.
FedStats
Provides search capability that allows access to the official statistical information produced by the US Federal Government without needing to know which agency produced the statistic.
Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities
Data collected by the US Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.
National Center for Health Statistics
Data is provided by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the principal source for statistical health information in the US.
New Jersey State Health Assessment Data (NJSHAD)
New Jersey's public health data resource.

Specific Populations & Opinion Polls

American College Health Association
Check the Resources -> Survey Data section.
Pew Research Center
The Condition of Education report
Produced and maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics, this report provides demographic information about college students in the 'Characteristics of Postsecondary Students' chapter.

Disparity Data

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: National Healthcare Quality & Disparity Reports
These reports measure trends in in effectiveness of care, patient safety, and other factors. The Disparities Report reviews health care quality across various racial, ethnic, and income groups as well as rural populations.
Center for Disease Control: Minority Health & Health Equity
Provides links to a wealth of information on a variety of health disparity topics as well as age, gender, disease specific populations.
Children's Defense Fund
Provides access to customizable and preparted reports on a wide variety of issues affecting this population including health coverage, poverty, and homelessness.
National Cancer Institute: Health Disparities
Provides links to data and statistics with a special focus on health disparities as they relate to cancer.
National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology: Health Disparities
This center is part of the National Library of Medicine and their site provides links to a wealth of health disparity data.
New Jersey Department of Health: Minority & Multicultural Health
Provides links to the state's strategic plan to address health disparities as well as to data about health indicators, chronic diseases, and links to NJ state efforts to target and reduce disparity.
US Census National Prisoner Statistics
US Office on Women's Health: Minority Women's Health
Provides links to a variety of US government reports and data sets concerning health statistics for specific populations.
World Health Organization: Data and Statistics
Provides links to statistics by topic or country.

Get More Out of Google

Finding Stats Online

If you're looking for statistical information online, be sure that you can trust the source before using it.

One way that you can do this is to limit your results to certain domains:

site:.gov or site:.edu

For example, census.gov or cdc.gov

Many organizations (.org) also collect statistical data. In order to ensure that an organization is legitimate, be sure to check the About Us/Contact Us links to learn more about them.