Research Guides: SOWK 685: Research Methodology (BMC): Data & Statistics Sources

US Health Statistics

BRFSS - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is the world’s largest, on-going telephone health survey system, tracking health conditions and risk behaviors in the United States yearly since 1984. This is a state-based system of health surveys that collects information on health risk behaviors, preventive health practices, and health care access primarily related to chronic disease and injury. For many states, the BRFSS is the only available source of timely, accurate data on health-related behaviors.
CDC Data and Statistics
This includes lots of overlaps with the NCHS but the interface can provide easier access to a number of topics.

Community Health Data Base
The Community Health Data Base, produced by Public Health Management Corporation, collects primary data through its biannual Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey and provides access to a number of secondary data sets. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey includes data about health status, personal health behaviors, and access to and utilization of area health services, at the census tract, ZIP code, county and regional level. See our Using the Community Health Data Base for more information.

National Center for Health Statistics
The principal health statistics agency that compiles statistical information to provide a credible, public resource for health information.
State Health Facts Online
Statehealthfacts.org is a project of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and is designed to provide free, up-to-date, and easy-to-use health data on all 50 states. Statehealthfacts.org provides data on more than 700 health topics and is linked to both the Kaiser Family Foundation website and Kaiser Health News.
U.S. Census Bureau
Provides information on the size and distribution of our population.

Explore Census Data
Provides population, housing, economic and geographic data from the latest Decennial Census, the Economic Censuses and Surveys, and the American Community Survey. Users can view reference maps and create comparison tables and thematic maps which can be downloaded and printed. Coverage varies.
PolicyMap
PolicyMap is an online data and mapping application that gives access to over 15,000 indicators related to demographics, housing, crime, mortgages, health, jobs and more. Data is available at all common geographies (address, block group, census tract, zip code, county, city, state, MSA) as well as unique geographies like school districts and political boundaries.

ICPSR (Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research) Data Archive
Provides access to an archive of online social science data, training facilities in basic and advanced techniques of quantitative social analysis. Provides a comprehensive list of ICPSR resources and services, information on membership and governance, links to national data archives affiliated with ICPSR, and contact information.

Statista
Provides access to selected statistics and studies of over 600 industries gathered by market researchers, trade organizations, scientific publications, and government sources from 2007 to the present.