Web Sites

What are Internet Portals?

Internet Portals are subject focused, information directories. Typically they do not have their own local content. They point to content created by others. Key word searches within portals can be effective. However, not all portals have keyword searching. You need to know what you are looking for, and you need to identify the correct information portal for that need. Several portals follow.

Health Statistics Portals/Gateways

Partners in Information Access
for the Public Health Workforce
<http://phpartners.org/>

MedlinePlus
<http://medlineplus.gov/>
See Health Topic – Health Statistics

HSS Data Council Gateway
to Data and Statistics – Federal Government
<http://aspe.hhs.gov/statinfo/>

Statistical Abstract of the United States –
U.S. Census Bureau
<http://www.census.gov/statab/www/>

FedStats – Federal Government
<http://www.fedstats.gov/>

State & County QuickFacts –
U.S. Census Bureau – Federal Government
<http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/>

Statistical Resources on the Web –
University of Michigan
<http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stats.html>

State Health Facts Online -
Kaiser Family Foundation
<http://www.statehealthfacts.kff.org/>

Federal Government Health Statistics Agencies

There are several federal agencies that gather, analyze, and report statistical data useful for public health purposes. Among these are:

National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
<http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/>
This is the principal health statistics agency in the U.S. It is part of the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC).

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
<http://www.ahrq.gov/>
AHRQ is the lead scientific research federal agency charged with supporting research designed to improve the quality of healthcare, reduce its cost, improve patient safety, decrease medical errors, and broaden access to essential services.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
<http://www.samhsa.gov/>
SAMHSA’s Office of Applied Studies (OAS) provides the latest national data on 1) alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drug abuse, 2) drug related emergency department episodes and medical examiner cases, and 3) the nation’s substance abuse treatment system.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) (formerly HCFA)
<http://www.cms.gov/>
CMS offers researchers and other health care professionals a broad range of quantitative information from estimates of future Medicare and Medicaid spending to enrollment, spending, and claims data.