Health Data Resources: United States

This guide provides a starting point for researchers using health-related numeric data. It includes information on Harvard electronic and print resources and other web-based resources.

Web Based Data Resources
Micro-level Data Resources
CD-ROM Data Resources
Print Data Resources

Web Based Data Resources

National Center for Health Statistics
The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is the nation’s principal health statistics agency. Data are collected from birth and death records, medical records, interviews, direct physical exams and laboratory testing. The site contains a link to “FASTATS A-Z” which allows the user to search for health statistics by topic. The site provides both summary-level and micro-level data. Data from the following studies and surveys is available on the NCHS website:

Health, United States
National Health Interview Survey
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
National Health Care Survey
National Vital Statistics System
National Immunization Survey
National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey
National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey
National Survey of Ambulatory Surgery
National Hospital Discharge Survey
National Nursing Home Survey
National Home and Hospice Care Survey
National Employer Health Insurance Survey
National Health Provider Inventory

Centers for Disease Control
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is the federal agency that is responsible for developing and applying disease prevention and control, and preparing health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States. Links to data and information on the following surveys and studies available on the CDC website include:

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System
Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance System
Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance
WISQARS- (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System)

CDC Wonder
This site provides links to a wide variety of reports and numeric public health data. Topics include chronic diseases, communicable diseases, environmental health, health practice and prevention, injury prevention, and occupational health.

Bureau of Labor Statistics
Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the federal agency that collects and disseminates data related mainly to labor economics, they do publish studies and surveys on their website that ask health, occupational illness, workplace injuries and health insurance related questions:

National Longitudinal Survey of Youth
National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Mature Women
National Longitudinal Survey of Young Men and Older Men
Injuries, Illnesses and Fatalities

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The US Department of Health and Human Services collects and publishes data related to health, disability, human services, and science.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) publishes evidence-based information on health care outcomes; quality; and cost, use, and access. Data available on this site include:

Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
HIV and AIDS Costs and Use (HIVnet)

Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program
SEER is a program of the National Cancer Institute. Statistics available from this site include tables, graphs and maps of cancer incidence, mortality, prevalence, and the probability of developing or dying from cancer.

Kaiser Family Foundation
The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) is an independent organization that collects and publishes health care data. The three main focuses of KFF research are Health Policy, Media and Public Education, and Health and Development in South Africa. The site provides both a “search” and a “browse by topic” option.

Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC)
The mission of this independent research organization is to “inform health care decision makers about changes in the health care system at both the local and national levels and the effects of such changes on people.” The center designs studies and collects and disseminates the data in the form of summary-level data (data bulletins) on their site. Recent Data Bulletin subjects have included physician income, tracking health care costs, and individuals most likely to change health care plans. The center also publishes the data in a micro-level format available through the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR). These data sets are also available through the IQSS Dataverse.

National Survey of America’s Families
The Urban Institute, an independent nonprofit policy research and educational organization, publishes this survey data. The National Survey of America’s Families collects data on the children, adults under 65 years of age and families in 13 states. Data relates to a variety of topics including education, economic status, health care, health insurance and family structure. These data sets are available through the IQSS Dataverse.

Medicare/Medicaid Data Compendium
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) publishes this annual compendium that contains data relating to Medicare enrollment and Medicaid recipients, expenditures, utilization, budget, and administrative and operating costs.

Beneficiary/Non-Beneficiary Files
The CMS also publishes Beneficiary and Non-Beneficiary files and Cost Reports that are available for purchase. Some of these files are restricted and a Data User Agreement will have to be completed before the data is released. These files contain data relating to county and zip code enrollment, provider and hospital services, physician/supplier procedure and healthcare cost reports.

Integrated Health Interview Series
The Integrated Health Interview Series (IHIS) from the Minnesota Population Center at the University of Minnesota is a harmonized set of data and documentation based on material originally included in the public use files of the U.S. National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and distributed for free over the internet. NHIS is the principal source of information on the health of the U.S. population, covering such topics as general health status, the distribution of acute and chronic illness, functional limitation, access to and use of medical services, and insurance coverage. The IHIS facilitates cross-time comparisons of these invaluable survey data by coding variables identically across time.
(Source: http://www.ihis.us/ihis/index.shtml accessed 04/4/07 10:50am)

Internet Crossroads in Social Science Data
The University of Wisconsin Data and Program Library Service publishes the Internet Crossroads in Social Science Data (Crossroads) webpage that contains almost 700 links to worldwide data resources. Users may enter keywords in the search function or browse through the topic related links. The Health link provides over 50 health related data resources, both national and international in scope.

Micro-level Data Resources

IQSS Dataverse Network
The IQSS Dataverse Network maintains over 1,200 health-related data sets. The site is searchable by keyword, title, author and study number. The data codebooks and data sets for most studies are freely available for members of the Harvard and MIT communities.

Health and Medical Care Archive
The Health and Medical Care Archive (HMCA) published by the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) is sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This data archive collects data published by researchers from academic, public and private sectors. Subjects include Health Care Providers, Access to and Cost of Health Care, Substance Abuse and Health, and Chronic Health Conditions. The data is available to ICPSR members only (Harvard is a member).

Roper Center for Public Opinion Research
The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research (Roper Center) at the University of Connecticut is the world’s largest archive of survey data. The Roper Center collection of public opinion data contains over 300 data sets related to health care and health insurance.

CD-ROM Data Resources

The following CD-ROM’s are available through the Harvard Libraries.

Health, United States

Each of the following National Center for Health Statistics CD-ROM’s contains one year of data. The CD-ROM’s are available through the Harvard Libraries. The data on these CD’s is also available for download through the IQSS Dataverse Network:

Area Resource File
Contains data relating to county descriptor codes, health professions data, health facility and health training data, population and economic data, and limited data on vital statistics, industry, housing, expenditure and environmental factors for all counties within the United States (except Alaska). This resource is available in Research Services in Lamont Library and is also available on a laptop at the Countway Library (ask for it at the circulation desk on the first floor).

Worker Deaths by Electrocution

National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health
The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (AddHealth) is published by the Carolina Population Center at UNC/Chapel Hill. AddHealth is a school-based study of students in grades 7-12, which focuses on the factors that influence adolescent behavior.