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Key Resources
A good database to locate Canadian time series on health related topics.
Use this database to find detailed health statistics.
Access the United Nation statistical database key data base.
This guide provides links to official sources of government information on public policy and statistics relating to health care.
Data:
- Health surveys (via the Library's Data Centre)
- Health Indicators Interactive Tool (Canadian Institute for Health Information)
- HealthData.gov
- FastStats (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- CDC WONDER (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Statistics:
Canada
- Statistics Canada is an excellent starting point for health-related statistics.
- Health Statistics subject page
- Health Data Tables
- Health Indicators a compilation of over 80 indicators measuring health status, non-medical determinants of health, health system performance and community and health system characteristics.
- Chief Public Health Officer's Reports, or previous title How healthy are Canadians? (the 2001 edition) and 2002-2005 editions. This report is a supplement to the Health reports quarterly journal. (Note: This report is also good for outdoor recreation information).
- Health Profile, (archived in 2013) features health region data from a number of sources including Statistics Canada's health surveys, administrative data, and the census of population.
- Health Trends (archived in 2013) presents comparable time-series data for a range of health indicators from a number of sources including the Canadian Community Health Survey, Vital Statistics, and Canadian Cancer Registry.
- Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides essential data and analysis on Canada’s health system and the health of Canadians. They produce many reports including:
- Health Care in Canada (annual reports, ceased in 2012).
- Health indicators (annual report)
- Canada's health care providers (annual report)
- Drug expenditure in Canada, 1985-2012 (Archived content)
- National health expenditure trends, 1975 to 2016 (see footnote, p. 11; also check Quick Stats)
- Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU)
- Health Canada
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Human Resources and Social Development Canada
- Indicators of Well-Being in Canada with data on how many hours we work each week, our education levels compared with the levels in other countries, the affordability of housing, people with disabilities, mortality and much more. See also the non-governmental research site Canadian Index of Wellbeing (via University of Waterloo) for quality of life statistics.
- Indicators of Well-Being in Canada with data on how many hours we work each week, our education levels compared with the levels in other countries, the affordability of housing, people with disabilities, mortality and much more. See also the non-governmental research site Canadian Index of Wellbeing (via University of Waterloo) for quality of life statistics.
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Public Health Agency Canada Chronic Disease InfoBase profiles the epidemiology of major non-communicable diseases in Canada including most current cancers, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, by province/territory and by regional health unit. Demographic, mortality, morbidity, risk factor and related health care data are currently available.
Ottawa
Foreign:
United Kingdom
- Health Care System (Office for National Statistics)
United States
- National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Provides annual health data and includes quick access to state and territorial heath statistics through FastStats.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey The expenses analyzed were total health care and its components: health insurance, medical services, prescription drugs, and medical supplies.
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
- HealthCare.gov the official site of Affordable Care Act.
- Census Bureau Health Insurance Main Census Bureau sources of data on health insurance coverage.
- Healthy People 2020 use this interactive tool to get health data at the national, state and local levels.
International Organizations (useful for comparative statistics)
- EurLIFE interactive database presents data on living conditions and well-beings of European citizens drawn from the Foundation's own surveys.
- Eurostat Statistics
- Select health care from the A-Z list
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Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
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Pan-American Health Organization
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World Bank
- HealthStats – the World Bank’s comprehensive database of Health, Nutrition and Population (HNP) statistics
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World Health Organization
- Health Data and Statistics
- Global Health Observatory (GHO) is the gateway to WHO data on health themes.
- Universal Health Coverage Data Portal
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Kaiser Family Foundation (non-governmental)
- Global Health Policy includes U.S. data for key health indicators.
- State Health Facts provides data on more than 800 health topics at the U.S. state level.
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International Health Policy Center (non-governmental)
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Surveys & Data and also includes health policy in foreign countries.
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Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (non-governmental)
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Commission to Build a Healthier America has links to State data.
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Canada - Federal:
- Canada Health Act
- Legislation and guidelines relating to health policy (via Health Canada)
Canada - Provincial:
Provincial health legislation can usually be found on the websites of departments of health for each province and territory. Click on the map to go directly to a provincial health agency.
Ontario
United States
- Laws and Regulations (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)
- CDC Legislation, Regulations and Policies has federal health legislation.
Canada -Federal:
Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Department of Finance
The CHT and CST are federal transfers which support specific policy areas such as health care, post-secondary education, social assistance and social services, early childhood development and childcare which impact issues of health and well-being.
- Canada Health Transfer (CHT)
From 1995 to 2004/5 CHT and SHT transfer payments were combined and distributed under the new name Canada Health and Social Transfer (CHST). In an attempt to restore fiscal balance, the Federal government gave cash payments to Provinces, who now became responsible for their own health spending decisions and priorities for core health services. Statistics for these years are online at Canadian Institute for Health Information (under tab: Data and Statistics). See also Finances of the Nation.
Health Canada
- Health care systems information including Canada Health Act Annual reports
- Departmental Estimates, along with the Minister of Finance's Budget, reflect the government's annual budget planning and resource priorities. In combination with the subsequent reporting of financial results in the Public Accounts and of accomplishments achieved in Departmental Performance Reports, this material helps Parliament hold the government to account for the allocation and management of public funds.
- Aboriginal Health Publications
Established in 2001, Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government.
- Annual Reports highlights the progress made to improve the health of Canadians through innovative digital health solutions.
Health Council of Canada (Archived content)
Funded by Health Canada, the Health Council operated as an independent nonprofit agency, with members of the corporation being the ministers of health of the participating jurisdictions.
- Publications focus on six priority areas – the health of Canadians, primary health care, pharmaceuticals management, home care, health human resources and wait times
Parliament of Canada
- House of Commons Standing Committee on Health (HEAL) (place pointer on session bar to select other sessions/years)
- Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology "The Health of Canadians: The Federal Role" (Kirby Report, 2002 in 6 vols.)
Advisory Panel on Healthcare Innovation
Public Health Agency
- Reports and publications
- A new perspective on the health of Canadians (Lalonde report, 1974)
- The integrated Pan-Canadian healthy living strategy (2005)
Canada -Provincial:
Quick links to health ministries for provinces and territories (via Health Canada)
Alberta
- Alberta Health and Wellness
- Report of the Premier's Advisory Council on Health (2002)
- Ministry of Health Annual reports
- Ministry of Health Business plan, 2016-2019
- Working together to build a high performance health system (2013)
British Columbia
- Ministry of Health
- British Columbia. Legislative Assembly. Select Standing Committee on Health. Patients First: Renewal and Reform of British Columbia's Health Care System (2001)
Manitoba
New Brunswick
- Ministry of Health
- Rebuilding health care together: the provincial health plan, 2013-2018
- A primary health care framework for New Brunswick
- State of public health in New Brunswick 2013: heart health
Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
- Department of Health and Wellness
- Health accountability reports (Department of Health and Wellness)
Nunavut
- Department of Health
- Publications on health information and research reports
Ontario
- Auditor General reports by topic: Health
- Building on values: the future of health care in Canada (Report of the Commission)
- Home and Community Care Support Services
- Champlain Network for the Eastern Ontario health region
- Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
- Progress Report 2014: health care
- Health Quality Ontario (HQO) is an independent agency, created under the Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act on September 12, 2005. The mandate of the Council is to to monitor and report to the people of Ontario on access to publicly funded health services, health human resources in publicly funded health services, consumer and population health status, and health system outcomes. See their Annual reports.
Prince Edward Island
- Department of Health and Wellness Publications
Québec
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Ministere de la Sante et des Services sociaux
- Plan d'action de développement durable 2016-2020
- Commission d'etude sur les services de sante et les services sociaux (Clair Commission on Health and Social Services) "Solutions emergentes" English edition: "Emerging solutions"
- Comparative Study on the Health of Québec’s Population and on the Performance of its Health Care System (2002, only highlights in English).
Saskatchewan
- Ministry of Health Health System Statistics
- Annual reports for 2016-17
- Primary Health Care Framework Report (2012)
- Saskatchewan Commission on Medicare (2001)
Yukon
Local:
Eastern Ontario Health Unit
Ottawa
Foreign:
Australia
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare including Australia's health (biennial report)
United Kingdom
- Department of Health Publications for current and selected older DH publications, including statistical reports, surveys, press releases, circulars and legislation, are available including information on Health care policies (Archived content)
United States
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services This site includes reports and statistics and links to related databases including the Public Health System, Finance, and Quality Program
- health.gov a portal to the Web sites of a number of multi-agency health initiatives and activities of the Federal departments and agencies
- HealthCare.gov A federal government Website managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services relating to the Affordable Health Care Act.
- National Center for Health Statistics (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) including Health, United States annual report and links to downloadable data.
- Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) plays a vital role in keeing the Nation healthy.
International:
European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies supports and promotes evidence-based health policy-making through comprehensive and rigorous analysis of the dynamics of health care systems in Europe
European Union
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
- Health publications
- OECD Health policies
- OECD Health related Working Papers
Pan-American Health Organization
United Nations
World Bank
World Health Organization
Maps:
- Health Map (brings together several data sources to achieve a unified and comprehensive view of the current global state of infectious diseases and their effect on human and animal health)
- Public Health Agency of Canada
- Use the Search box to locate maps or the Public Health Infobase website toolkit to view data visualization on health indicators including demographics, morbidity, mortality, risk factors and health services.
- Use the Search box to locate maps or the Public Health Infobase website toolkit to view data visualization on health indicators including demographics, morbidity, mortality, risk factors and health services.
- Statistics Canada
- World Bank
- World Databank to generate a variety of health related maps, tables and charts.
- World Health Organization
GIS:
- United States
- Atlas eHealth Country Profiles presents data on the 114 WHO Member States that participated in the 2009 global survey on eHealth.
- Global health observatory
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention GIS health data sources
