Health Statistics and Data Sources

Finding and Using Health Statistics

This tutorial is aimed at students, librarians, and other professionals interested in an introduction to the principles behind health statistics.  It describes different types of health statistics, how they are collected, and where they can be found.

Course Goals

1. Understand what health statistics measure and how to use them to improve general health
2. Gain a basic knowledge of the statistical terms commonly used when reading about health statistics
3. Learn different ways health information can be collected, and the pros and cons of each
4. Become familiar with a variety of online sources for health statistics
5. Create a set of strategies to find specific health statistics

In this course

• About Health Statistics: Find out what health statistics are, and who uses them.
• Common Terms and Equations in Health Statistics: Learn what phrases like “statistically valid,” and “sampling” really mean.
• Health Data Sources: Discover where health statistics come from and why that matters.
• Finding Health Statistics Exercises: Start searching for statistics to answer research questions.
• Glossary: This resource contains both a terms glossary and a resource glossary.

Each section contains a quiz to help you determine your understanding of the course. The section on Finding Health Statistics provides an overview of the key organizations important in any research that requires statistical information. A detailed glossary is also included in the course. The course is eligible for 3 CE hours from the Medical Library Association. A certificate is also available upon completion of the course.