This guide highlights the following prominent health resources:
 
       National Center for Health Statistics,
 
       Social Scienece Electronic Data Library,
 
       Other Internet Resources,
 
Many more are listed in our data catalog, DataGate.
If you need assistance locating information, contact EDS at eds@columbia.edu.

National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) distributes data using a variety of techniques including the Internet, second party distributors, and directly to users. Columbia takes advantage of all these options resulting in access that is possible via:

• NCHS web-based Data Warehouse
  The resources at this site are also listed in DataGate, sometimes with alternate methods of access.
• The EDS DataGate collection
  NCHS studies in DataGate are acquired from NCHS, ICPSR, Federal Government, and SSEDL. Studies may be available for downloading directly to a PC using an Internet connection or they may be available on CD-ROM. Identify them by searching DataGate with the NCHS acronym and a keyword for your topic.
• NCHS data on CD-ROM
  This collection is available for use in EDS and, although it often duplicates data available in other formats, it does include some archival coverage not found elsewhere. These titles are listed in DataGate.
• CDC Wonder
  Wide-ranging OnLine Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) -- is an easy-to-use internet system that makes the information resources of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) available to public health professionals and the public at large. It provides access to a wide array of public health information.
• NCHS Restricted-Access Datasets
  Selected restricted-access data sets from the Centers for Disease Control's National Center for Health Statistics can be used by Columbia affiliates through our particpation in the New York Census Research Data Center (NYCRDC). Access to these data requires meeting the NYCRDC conditions; see their site for information on policies and procedures.

Social Science Electronic Data Library (SSEDL)

The Social Science Electronic Data Library (SSEDL) is an extensive health and social science resource that consists of nine topically focused data archives.

Disability in the U.S. American Family Data Archive Social Research on Aging Contextual Data Archive Maternal Drug Abuse

Child Well-Being and Poverty Data Archive AIDS/STD Data and Instrument Archive Adolescent Pregnancy and Pregnancy Prevention Complementary & Alternative Medicine Data Archive

 
Studies must be downloaded directly from the SSEDL which can be reached via:

• DataGate
  Contains abstracts for all SSEDL studies that are unique to SSEDL with reference to the SSEDL study number and a link to the SSEDL site.
• SSEDL
  Provides a variety of options for access that include:
  • titles which can be browsed by archive,
  • titles and abstracts which can be searched,
  • variable-level searching,
  • online extraction tool (MIDAS).

Other Internet Resources

• Demographic and Health Surveys
  This site provides data on population, health and nutrition for countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the south east Europe/west Asia, and North Africa region, Central and South East Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Survey data can be accessed by individuals who register at the site.

 
• New York City and State Data
  
  • InfoShare (Health, vital statistics, and socio-demographic time series data by CD and neighborhood with some by tract and zip code))
  • New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
    • New York City Community Health Survey
    • Epidemiology Statistics by Neighborhood
  • New York State Department of Health - Statistics and Data

 
• SourceOECD Health Data
  The database is designed to further the knowledge of health services inputs and throughputs, highlight differences in common medical practices, help quantify key non-medical health-related factors and, in a world of financial constraints, to describe key features of each system's financing and delivery mechanisms. Data is reported for coountries in the EU, OECD and G8 (except Russian Federation). Access can be done via an online extraction interface of via custom software/database that individuals must download.

 
• Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
  The agency works to improve the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care. Public use data files are often not available for studies done by the agency but are restricted to those who qualify and agree to usage terms specific to the dataset being requested. There are two online tools that produce aggregate data from these studies.
  • Medical Expenditure Panel Survey
    This site provides options for accessing the data from this survey. These options include the MEPSnet Query Tools (allows for online analysis of data), summary tables, downloads of public use data, and instructions and downloads for restricted use data. Columbia researchers who want access beyond what is available at this site do have access to the facitiies of the New York City Research Data Center (NYCRDC). MEPS is in that collection.
  • HCUPnet (Health Care Utilization Project)
    HCUPnet is an on-line query system that gives you instant access to the largest set of all-payer health care databases that are publicly available. You can generate tables and graphs on national and regional statistics and trends for community hospitals in the U.S. In addition, community hospital data are available for those States that have agreed to participate in HCUPnet.

 
• Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)
  ICPSR maintains an archive of social science data for research and instruction with a large number of health-related topics. Components of the archive that focus on health issues include:
  • Health and Medical Care Archive (HMCA)
    A topical archive that is part of the ICPSR collection so individual studies are listed in DataGate
  • National Archive of Computerized Data on Aging (NACDA)
    A topical archive that is part of the ICPSR collection. Some studies have an online analysis interface and all studies are listed in DataGate
  • Substance Abuse & Mental Health Data Archive (SAMHDA)
    A topical archive that is part of the ICPSR collection. Some studies have an online analysis interface and all studies are listed in DataGate

 
• Health Sciences Library Subject Guides
  Includes a number of "STATS" guides to health specific topics.