NCHS produces data on a wide range of health indicators such as:
Health insurance coverage and its relationship to access and utilization of health care services.
Exposure to environmental chemicals.
Prevalence of obesity and overweight among the U.S. population.
Patterns and relationships of risk factors to specific diseases and populations.
Nutrition and physical activity.
Growth charts to monitor the development of children.
Health status, health-related behaviors and risk factors.
Key health indicators such as infant mortality, life expectancy, and teen births.
Emergency department use and capacity to measure bioterrorism preparedness.
Practice of medicine in the U.S., the increasing use of prescription drugs, evolution of roles and practices of health care providers, and changes in institutions and health plans.
NCHS collects and makes available data from birth and death records, medical records, interview surveys, and through direct physical exams and laboratory testing. NCHS is a key element of our national public health infrastructure, providing important surveillance information that helps identify and address critical health problems.
