Seeking all types of US health stats?

Statisticians at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics compile and release data on all that and more. And they go behind the numbers at the NCHStats blog.

It’s an informative glimpse into the ever-evolving world of the numbers and statistics that represent the nation’s health. The posts provide up-to-date stats on topics such as mental health, chronic disease and accidental death, and highlight the most important messages from data releases.

The blog is also home to transcripts of Statcasts, the NCHS’s podcast, and links to each episode. It features a variety of NCHS statisticians who add nuance and explain more about how different health determinants affect different populations in the United States.

Health statistics have become even more important to everyday life during the pandemic. NCHStats helps put the numbers into context, providing a sobering and sometimes even alarming glimpse of coronavirus deaths, including indirect deaths affected by pandemic-related job loss or lack of access to health care.

Even if you’re not data-obsessed, the blog is worth reading. Its straightforward explanations take the mystery out of reports that might seem intimidating to those without a solid background in health statistics.

It also provides plenty of conversation fodder thanks to information about things like the recent rise in drug overdose deaths and the ins and outs of death certificates, which can provide an incomplete glimpse into why a person died. Union Leader