This is a guide to a variety of relevant MCH data sources for US, State and local level data. It includes basic information about the data set and an example of the type and format of available data. (This list is updated frequently; please check back for additional resources.) These data sets are selected based on their potential usefulness to MCH practitioners, their ease of use and accessibility, and the availability of data at a state and/or local level. If you have questions about using these resources or suggestions for additional resources, please feel free to contact us
State-level Data:
This system contains data for over 100 measures of child well-being, including all the measures regularly used in the KIDS COUNT Data Book as well as a comprehensive set of vital statistics related to births. Data are available for the United States as a whole, all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Census Data:
Indicators of child well-being released by the 2000 U.S. Census. View data on Age and Sex, Race, Hispanic Origin, Living Arrangements, Income and Poverty, Employment, Education, Language, and Disability Status. Data are available for the United States, individual states, the nation's largest cities, counties, American Indian/Alaska/Native Hawaiian Home Lands, Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Primary Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Congressional districts (for the 108th congress), state legislative districts, and New England Towns.
CLIKS:
This website brings together data on the well-being of children collected by KIDS COUNT grantees from state and local sources. The unique system allows users to access state-specific inventories of data from local sources, such as health departments, human services agencies, and schools. The content of state pages is determined by participating KIDS COUNT partners using data from local jurisdictions.
Data are available for most states, including geographies determined by state KIDS COUNT network partner, primarily counties, cities, and New England Towns.
The NSCH is a national survey conducted in the United States by telephone in English and Spanish during 2003 – 2004. It provides a broad range of information about children’s health and well-being collected in a manner that allows comparisons among states as well as nationally. Survey results are weighted to represent the population of non-institutionalized children ages 0-17 nationally, and in each state. Some data by income and race are available.
PRAMS is a surveillance project of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health departments. PRAMS collects state-specific, population-based data on maternal attitudes and experiences before, during, and shortly after pregnancy. PRAMS provides data not available from other sources about pregnancy and the first few months after birth. These data can be used to identify groups of women and infants at high risk for health problems, to monitor changes in health status, and to measure progress towards goals in improving the health of mothers and infants. Data are available for 27 states from state coordinators; click here to identify and contact each participating state. Sub-state data availability varies by state.
The American Community Survey is a nationwide survey conducted by the US Census Bureau that replaces the long form of the census. It collects a set of detailed estimates about household characteristics and housing on an annual basis, with information available for smaller geographic areas at less frequent intervals. Data are available for the United States, individual states, cities, counties, places, Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Congressional district and include information on disability, births, race and ethnicity, income and education. Raw data files (called PUMS) are also available for more detailed analysis.
National Survey of Children with Special Health Needs, 2005-2006
The national Survey of Children with Special Health Needs is a special module of SLAITS, the State and Local Integrated Telephone Survey conducted by the CDC. The primary goal is to assess the prevalence and impact of special health care needs among children in all 50 States and the District of Columbia in 2001. This survey explores the extent to which children with special health care needs (CSHCN) have medical homes, adequate health insurance, and access to needed services. Other topics include functional difficulties, care coordination, satisfaction with care, and transition services. Data are available for the United States and indidivudal states.
SHAPE 2006 is the third in a series of nationally recognized surveys collecting information on the health of Hennepin County, Minnesota residents and the factors that affect their health. More than 10,000 households in the county completed the SHAPE 2006 survey providing information on 8,000 adults and 4,000 children. The child survey includes questions about general health and health conditions, health insurance coverage, health care access, exercise and nutrition, academic performance and school readiness, parental involvement and family connectedness, and child care and unsupervised time.
The March of Dimes PeriStats website provides access to twelve indicators of maternal and infant health data including birth rates, preterm birth, low birthweight, prenatal care, infant mortality, multiple deliveries, delivery methods, maternal smoking, Chlamydia, and health insurance rates. Data for most indicators are available for the United States, individual states, counties and cities.
The Oral Health of Children is a chart book on oral health data from the National Survey of Children’s Health. It includes general information about oral health issues as well as survey results in PDF form. National and state level data are available by income, race, age and gender. A free paper copy of the publication can also be ordered.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) commissioned the State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC), located at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, to develop a comprehensive state-by-state analysis on access to health care by people who do and do not have health care coverage. Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) - a national survey of preventive and health risk behaviors - the researchers analyzed health disparities between insured and uninsured adults. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey, they also looked at the number of Americans age 50-64 that are without health care coverage.
Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBSS), School Health Policies and Programs Study, and School Health Profiles (including information on asthma; physical education; HIV, STD and pregnancy prevention; and unintentional injury and violence) as well as a Childhood Overweight Fact Sheet are available by state.
County-level health status data is available on over 7,000 variables for 3,500 geographic areas. Data are available by gender, race and ethnicity and, to the extent possible, age. Data in the system are organized into the following categories with many subcategories under each topic:
Monitoring the Future is an ongoing study of the behaviors, attitudes, and values of American secondary school students, college students, and young adults. Each year, a total of approximately 50,000 8th, 10th and 12th grade students are surveyed.
The survey asks questions about activities, experiences, and behaviors. Topics covered include tobacco, alcohol and drug use, school climate, physical activity, violence and safety, connections with school and family, health, and other topics.
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