Research guides: Translational Research Program: Data and Statistics

Canadian social survey data

Statistics Canada is Canada's national statistical agency, and conducts a wide range of social surveys. A number of these surveys ask questions related to the health of Canadians. Results of the surveys are published as research reports, statistical tables, microdata files (anonymized, individual-level datasets of survey responses).

Additional social survey data is collected by other governmental and non-governmental organizations, such as public opinion pollsters.

Have a look at the following sources:

CANSIM (via Statistics Canada website)
Free socioeconomic statistics from Statistics Canada. Contains statistics on health topics including as disability, disease, life expectancy, health care services and more.
CANSIM (via CHASS)
This is an alternative user interface for accessing Statistics Canada's CANSIM database, available to University of Toronto users.
ODESI: Survey and Polling data
Source of individual-level microdata from Statistics Canada surveys. Includes resources such as the Canadian Community Health Survey, Health Statistics at a Glance, National Population Health Survey, and Canada Fitness Survey. Also contains a collection of public opinion polls which sometimes ask health questions. For guidance searching ODESI, consult this guide about ODESI.
Canadian census data via CHASS
Contains census statistics by geographic areas for census years from 1961 to the present.
Health in Canada
Statistic's Canada webpage devoted to health statistics.
Statistics Canada website
Use the search box on the Statistics Canada website to find general information, analysis and reports as well as links to census and other statistics. On this website you can also locate official documentation about Statistics Canada's many surveys, describing methodology and data quality.
Public Health Agency of Canada
The Public Health Agency of Canada's website provides statistics and reports on a range of infectious and chronic diseases, drawing on data from Statistics Canada surveys as well as administrative data from organizations like CIHI (see below).
First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) - Data Online
Includes statistics from the First Nations Regional Health Survey and the First Nations Regional Early Childhood, Education and Employment Survey.
Map and Data Library at U of T
Search the Map & Data Library's collection for additional statistics & data on health topics. Contact the Map and Data Library for assistance searching their data collections.

Canadian administrative health data

Administrative health data is collected by the government in the course of its regular activities. This includes disease incidence, use of the health care system, health costs, healthcare personnel, and other topics. Access to databases of administrative health data is typically restricted, however, select organizations are mandated with publishing statistics and analysis based on administrative health data.

Have a look at the following sources:

Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) - Data & Reports
This is a key source of statistics on the Canadian health care system. CIHI is an independent, not-for-profit organization which holds a range of health system databases (compiled from provincial health agencies). CIHI publishes statistical tables, reports and analyses. Researchers can also apply to access additional data (fees and wait times apply).
Discharge Abstracts Database (DAD)
This is the only CIHI database where universities have direct access to a public use microdata file. It is accessible through ODESI (requires utorid login). The DAD captures information on hospital discharges, with variables such as length of stay, diagnoses, interventions, and demographic variables.
Notifiable Disease Surveillance On-line
Public Health Agency of Canada database that tracks the number of cases of nationally notifiable communicable diseases
Injury Surveillance On-Line
Public Health Agency of Canada - data on injury deaths and hospitalizations in Canada.
Chronic Disease Infobase
Contains disease prevalence statistics from the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System, as well as public health indicators derived from social survey data.
Economic Burden of Illness in Canada
Provides estimates for the following cost components: hospital care, drugs, physician care, and mortality, for a wide range of diagnostic categories. Compiled by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Patient Cost Estimator
This CIHI tool allows you to estimate the average cost of various services provided in hospitals.
Ontario Health Profiles
Provides detailed, area-level health data avaialble to the public. Data is available by LHIN.

Canadian condition-specific resources

Canadian Cancer Society: Statistics
Includes Links to Canadian Cancer Statistics, an annual report of cancer incidents and mortality in Canada.
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse
Produces reports on a range of topics related to substance abuse, which compile relevant statistics from Canadian and International sources.
FluWatch
This site provides access to the weekly reports discussing the watch of flu activity in Canada.
HIV and AIDS in Canada
This site provides access to HIV/AIDS surveillance reports.
Diabetes Surveillance Reports
Provides access to diabetes surveillance reports, fact sheets, and other Public Health Agency publications on diabetes.
Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System
Reports on determinants of material, fetal and infant health. From the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Canadian Communicable Disease Report
The CCDR is available online from volume 21 (1995+)

Other sources of Canadian health statistics

Health Canada
This site offers the latest health news updated every day and a list of warnings and advisories released from Health Canada.
Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
In addition to regular updates on the homepage, check out some of the links under public information and news media Try the search box for a specific condition e.g. asthma.
National Population Health Survey
Provides the content of questionnaires assessing households, institutions including household residents in the Yukon and Northwest Territories.
Provincial/Territorial Departments of Health
Provides access to 10 provincial and three territorial government health organizations
UofT Libraries Governmental Web Resources
A source for U.S., Canadian, and international government information.
Open Government Portal
Compiles datasets from federal agencies, including Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. There are some interesting health-related surveys available in this portal.
Ontario Public Health Association
Contains resources and information on a number of different issues impacting public health in Ontario.
Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) - Atlases & Reports
Established in 1992, this non-profit research organization is dedicated to conducting research that contributes to improved health care in Ontario. Its affiliated researchers publish atlases and reports presenting the results of their research.
BC Community Health Data
Local-level health data for British Columbia.
Databank of Official Statistics on Quebec - Health
System developed under the coordination of the Institut de la statistique du Québec
Nunavut Health Statistics
From the Nunavut Department of Health. Mostly in the form of PDF reports.
Alberta Interactive Health Data Application
Alberta Health has designed this site to provide information on health status and determinants of health. The Interactive Health Data Application (IHDA) contains many health statistics (indicators) on a variety of health-related topics such as demographics, mortality, chronic and infectious disease, and children's health.
New Brunswick Health Council - Data
Contains basic health data & reports by community, zone, and hospital.
PEI open data
PEI government website contains some open data files on health.
Ontario Health Profiles
Provides detailed, area-level health data avaialble to the public. Data is available by LHIN.

Canadian business & industry data

Please note that all of the proprietary resources listed below are licensed for educational use only and cannot be used for commercial purposes or shared with anyone not affiliated with the University of Toronto. Business listings should not be used to contact companies.

Canada Business Network - Market research and Statistics
Demographics, economic and industry sector data from the 2011 census, environmental and science and technology data, and international market reports statistics. Provided by the Canadian government.
City of Toronto Open Data
Contains 200+ datasets (many of them geospatial) on a range of topics related to business, city government & finances, culture, development & infrastructure, transportation, etc.
Ontario Government Open Data Portal
Contains openly available datasets from a range of Ontario ministries. Currently the contents are a bit sparse, but it is growing rapidly as there is now an open government directive in Ontario.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada - Canadian Industry Statistics
The Canadian Industry Statistics (CIS) include data on many economic indicators, by industry.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada - Financial Performance Data
Financial Performance Data allows you to view financial data based on industry averages, to better understand how competing firms operate within their industry.
Key Business Sectors - Invest Toronto
A City of Toronto website with statistics on key business sectors including financial services, clean tech, life sciences, film and television and others. Also includes general employment and labour statistical data provided by the city. The site is designed to promote the city and so is somewhat promotional in nature.
Business Analyst Online (BAO)
BAO is a web-based data visualization application which can be used to create thematic maps and reports from demographic data including census, health, household spending, and health and lifestyle data, for Canada and the United States. To gain access, you first need to follow these instructions to create an ArcGIS Online account. You then need to contact the Map & Data Library and request access to BAO. You will then be able to log into BAO using your ArcGIS Online account.
Enhanced Points of Interest (EPOI)
The Enhanced Points of Interest (EPOI) file is a national database of over 1 million Canadian business and recreational points of interest. This is a geospatial data file (shapefile with associated tables) which can be opened and analyzed with GIS software, such as Esri ArcGIS or QGIS.
SimplyAnalytics
Create thematic maps and tables using 100s of Canadian and US demographic and psychographic variables, as well as business point data from Dun & Bradstreet. No GIS experience required! Includes Statistics Canada and US Census Bureau health data.

US health data

Agency for Healthcare Research and Policy
AHRQ, a part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, is the lead agency charged with supporting research designed to improve the quality of health care, reduce its cost, and broaden access to essential services. In some instances, this site allows the user to choose which data from the survey to display in a table or graph; instructions on downloading are available.
Bureau of Health Workforce
Includes reports on health care professions.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
This site provides quick access to consumer and provider information on Medicare and Medicaid service in the United States. This site also provides a direct link to statistics & data for researchers and health care professionals, in the form of research publications and current CMS research projects. Users may also wish to try the search engine provided.
Fed Stats
Links to statistics by region and agency.
HHS Data Council
The HHS Data Council coordinates all health and non-health data collection and analysis activities of the United States Department of Health & Human Services, including an integrated health data collection strategy, coordination of health data standards and health information and privacy policy activities. Good lists of products and links to sources of acquisition, but no data is actually directly available from the web site.
National Center for Health Statistics
The American NCHS is the primary federal organization responsible for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of health statistics. Users can browse the publications and statistical tables, download selected public-use data files, conduct on-line database queries and searches, or access FASTATS from A-Z.
National Institutes of Health
United States government body which produces research and documentation on health. Health statistics can be found using the site search engine. Users may also wish to browse using the A-Z Index of NIH health resources which provides a list of health topics, clinical studies, drug information, etc.
Vital and Health Statistics Series
Lists, annotates and indexes all the reports that have been published in the four series of the U.S. National Health Survey and the sixteen series of the National Center for Health Statistics.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Data & statistics on a range of diseases and conditions.

International demographic, economic & industry data

Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) International
A project dedicated to collecting and distributing census data from around the world.
UNdata
An entry point for statistics from the entire United Nations group of organizations. Here you can find international statistics on a wide range of topics, including economics & finance, education, technology, health and more.
World Bank Data
Data produced by the World Bank includes a huge number of international indicators, including financial, human development, and climate-related topics. Browse by Country or Indicator to get a sense of the range of data available.
IMF eLibrary Data
Financial and economic time series data for more than 200 countries.
OECD iLibrary Statistics
Statistics for OECD member countries on a range of topics including health, education, international development, trade, and economic indicators.
Passport GMID
Euromonitor's Passport Global Market Information Database (GMID) includes statistics and reports on markets, consumers, and companies for countries around the world.

US demographic, economic & industry data

American FactFinder
A one-stop shop for US census of population and economic census data from 2000 to the present.
American Time Use Survey
Measures the amount of time people spend doing various activities, such as paid work, childcare, volunteering, and socializing.
Bureau of Labor - Industries at a Glance
US industry snapshots from the Bureau of Labor.
Data.gov
The US government's open data portal. This site pulls together information about datasets produced by federal, state and local governments.
General Social Survey Data Explorer
Since 1972, the General Social Survey (GSS) has been monitoring societal change and studying the growing complexity of American society.
Pew Research Center
Timely research and statistics including datasets on science, internet and technology, as well as social trends, politics, demographics. See Datasets page.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Consumer Expenditure Survey
Data on the “…buying habits of American consumers, including data on their expenditures, income, and consumer unit (families and single consumers) characteristics."
US Census Bureau - Business & Industry
Economic Census, Economic Indicators and other data from the US Census Bureau.
Roper Centre iPOLL
The Roper Centre is one of the world's leading archives of social science data, specializing in public opinion surveys. Search iPOLL for public opinion research on a range of topics from the 1930s to the present.
ICPSR
Major US-based social science data archive.

International health data

Progress of Nations (UNICEF)
Versions of the 2000 annual report produced by UNICEF on child health and mortality are available for order in print or as a pdf file.
UNAIDS: HIV Data
A compilation from the United Nations of estimates that reflect many sources of data, including surveys of pregnant women, population-based surveys, and other surveillance information.
WHO Statistical Information System
Comprehensive site for global health statistics from the World Health Organization.
WHO: Human Resources for Health
Activities, reports, news, events, and contacts for international human health resources.
WHO: World Health Organization Statistics
Links to WHO statistics and factsheets.

Research Guides

Translational Research Program

Data & Statistics Librarian

Canadian social survey data

Canadian administrative health data

Canadian condition-specific resources

Other sources of Canadian health statistics

Canadian business & industry data

US health data

International demographic, economic & industry data

US demographic, economic & industry data

International health data

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