| DATA RESOURCES HOME | UTL HOME | HOURS | LIBRARIES | 

Canadian health data in the UT/DLS collection

---

Off-campus University of Toronto users login to myaccess first!

---

Table of contents:

• Type of data: microdata files, aggregate statistics, geographic reference files.
• Places to search for more: identifying sources (Canadian, U.S. and international), checking DLS availability.

Microdata files: 2000s, 1990s, 1980s, 1970s, 1960s, Ontario, Toronto,

Aggregate statistics

There are a number of sources of aggregate statistics on health. Print publications and aggregate statistics sources can provide insight into where and how data are collected, and thereby provide leads to additional sources of microdata.

• Aboriginal peoples survey./ Statistics Canada. Post-Censal Surveys Division
  • 1991 community profiles.: See: record layout for contents. Contact Data Library Service for access.
  • 2001 community profiles.: See: <http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01aps/home.cfm>

• Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI): <http://www.cihi.ca>

• Canadian socio-economic information management system (CANSIM)

• Census of Canada: availability of aggregate statistics from the census of population
  Sources of aggregate univariate and multi-variate statistics from Canadian census of population.

  • Census of Canada, 1996 : Canadian community profiles: <http://ceps.statcan.ca/english/Profil/PlaceSearchForm1.cfm>
    Search for the name of a Health Region to display limited health data from CIHI. Additional census data can be generated from 1996 enumeration area/census subdivision level profile files.

  • Census of Canada, 2001 : Canadian community profiles: <http://www12.statcan.ca/english/Profil01/PlaceSearchForm1.cfm>
    Search for the name of a Health Region to display limited health data from CIHI. Additional census data can be generated from 2001 dissemination area/census subdivision level profile files.

• Health indicators database, 2000 -
  Principal investigator: Statistics Canada. Health Statistics Division. Includes data on health determinants, health status, health resources and health resources utilization, Canada and provinces. Data begin in mid-1980s.

• Health statistics at a glance [cd-rom]. 1999 ed. (Statistics Canada; 82F0075XCB):
  Contains: Statistical report on the health of Canadians, and Health indicators database (revised 1999 ed.), as well as articles published in Health reports. Health indicators database (pre 2000) and Health reports are restricted products.

• Historical statistics of Canada 2nd edition. Ed. F. H. Leacy. Ottawa, Ont.: Statistics Canada, 1983. (STC 11-516)
  Historical statistics in all major socio-economic disciplines, including health. Most tables range 1871 to 1975.

• Profile of persons with disabilities, 1991:
  Based on 1991 Health and activity limitation survey: adults in households.
  Restricted to University of Toronto, Ryerson and York University IP addresses.

• Statistics Canada daily, June 1995 - . Ottawa, Ont.: Statistics Canada, 1983. (STC 11-001-XIE)
  Daily (weekday) release of brief summaries of most recently released statistics and microdata, all divisions of STC.
  N.B. Access priced products via Depository Services Program web server. Restricted to University of Toronto IP addresses.

• OECD Health Data 2003
  Comparative health statistics for 30 countries. Content similar to Health indicators database. Restricted. User guide and dowload and install stand-alone application.

  See also:

• Finding Canadian statistics: special topics: health: <http://datalib.chass.utoronto.ca/other/findcans.htm#health>

• Finding US and international statistics <http://datalib.chass.utoronto.ca/other/findints.htm>

• Socio-economic and financial time-series data <http://datalib.chass.utoronto.ca/major/ecofin.htm>

Geographic reference files

• Health PCCF+ (Statistics Canada; 82F0082XCB)
  Health PCCF+ consists of a SAS control program and a series of reference files derived from the most recent Statistics Canada Postal Code Conversion File (PCCF) and the latest Weighted Conversion File (WCF). It automatically assigns a full range of geographic identifiers (down to enumeration area and latitude, longitude) based on postal codes.
  Restricted to University of Toronto, Ryerson University, and York University IP addresses only. The files may be used by faculty, students, and staff, of these institutions, for academic research and teaching purposes only.

• Health regions: boundaries and correspondence with census geography. 2003. (Statistics Canada; 82-402-XIE)
  Contains: health region digital boundary files (ArcInfo and MapInfo), health region to 1996 enumeration area and 2001 dissemination area correspondence files, geographic attribute files including land area. Annual population estimates are in 1996 census community profiles.

• Health regions 2000 [cd-rom]. (Statistics Canada; 82F0082XCB)
  Contains: health region digital boundary files (ArcInfo and MapInfo), health region to 1996 enumeration area correspondence files, geographic attribute files including land area, 1996 population, population density, and percentage urban population, and population estimates for 1995-1997.
  Restricted to University of Toronto, Ryerson University, and York University IP addresses only. The files may be used by faculty, students, and staff, of these institutions, for academic research and teaching purposes only.

Places to search for more

Searching has two main objectives: (1) identifying appropriate data sources, and (2) determining if it's available through the Data Library.

1. Identifying appropriate data sources

   Canadian data sources

   • Statistics Canada sources:
     • Health statistics: catalogue of products and services./ Ottawa, Ont.: Statistics Canada, Oct. 1998 <http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/82F0058XIE/82F0058XIE.pdf>

     • Thematic search tool
       Select 'Thematic search tool' from above WWW page. Variable level searching of microdata files only.

     • Information on products and services
       STC's current catalogue. Contains references to current STC print publications, microdata and aggregate data products (computer-readable products), and available custom tabulations.

     • Health statistics: catalogue of products and services./ Ottawa, Ont.: Statistics Canada, Oct. 1998 <http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/82F0058XIE/82F0058XIE.pdf>

     • BiblioCat: The catalogue of the Statistics Canada Library. Contains records for historic and current Statistics Canada standard products, in all media. Also commercial publications, and records for foreign statistical and related publications in the collection. Click on Search BiblioCat button.

     • Statistics Canada Daily
       Searchable access to the Statistics Canada Daily, a daily newsletter the latest STC statistics and data releases. Articles often include references to CANSIM matrices, research reports, etc.

     • Statistics Canada WWW site
       Searchable access to free publications, etc., on the STC web site, including research reports, methodological papers, etc.

     • Search Depository Services Program. Catalogue./ Ottawa, Ont.: Depository Services Program.: <http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/search_form-e.html>
       Provides searchable access to Canadian government publications disseminated to Depository Libraries since approximately 1998.

     • Finding Canadian statistics
       Outlines sources of aggregate Canadian statistics, primarily WWW-based unrestricted sources, but a number of restricted and CD-ROM based products are included. See subsection on 'Health' statistics.

   • Health Canada, etc. sources:
     • Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)
       Searchable access to the reports, booklets and information about health care in Canada, taken from CIHI's work in standards, data and analysis.

     • Health Canada Online

     • Health Canada. Laboratory Centre for Disease Control
       Population and Public Health Branch (PPH) consolidates most elements of the previous Health Promotion and Programs Branch, with the former Laboratory Centre for Disease Control (LCDC), and with the laboratories in Winnipeg and Guelph. This organization came into effect on July 1, 2000.

   • Non-government sources:
     • Kendall, Ora, Tammy Lipskie & Shauna MacEachern. Canadian health surveys, 1950-1997. in: Chronic diseases in Canada 18(2):, 1997 <http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/main/lcdc/web/publicat/cdic/cdic182/index1.html#surveys>.

     • Indices to published literature: the above indices, search services, and guides provide information about government-produced data sources only. No cohesive indexing is currently available of data collected in the academic and commercial sectors. The only means of identifying data files collected in the academic/commercial sectors is by searching the academic literature using journal indices and abstracting services such as MedLine, PubMed, Canadian Health Network, etc.

     • Provincial nutrition surveys, 1993-1999

     U.S. data sources

     • ICPSR Data Archive
       Searchable access to the resources of the ICPSR. Collection is primarily U.S. data from government and academic sectors but also includes some international files. University of Toronto is a member of ICPSR; contact Data Library Service for access to data from this source.

     • Health poll search (Kaiser Family Foundation)
       Controlled languaged indexing to U.S. public opinion poll data from a wide range of sources, archived mainly at the Roper Center. University of Toronto is a member of the Roper Center; contact Data Library Service for access to data from this source.

     • FedStats
       Searchable access to U.S. government data sources. Note many current U.S. government produced microdata files are available to us through ICPSR.

     • Search for social sciences data on the net (SSDC)
       Searchable access to primarily WWW-based resources. Collection is primarily U.S. data but also includes some international files.

     • University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Demography and Ecology
       Links to www-accessible resources in public health, aging, and demography.

     International data sources

     • CESSDA integrated data catalogue (Council of European Social Science Data Archives)
       Searchable access to the resources of the CESSDA member data archives. Collections are primarily European.

     • ICPSR data archive
       Searchable access to the resources of the ICPSR. Collection is primarily U.S. data from government and academic sectors but also includes some international files.

     • Search for social sciences data on the net (SSDC)
       Searchable access to primarily WWW-based resources. Collection is primarily U.S. data but also includes some international files.

     • World Health Organization (WHO)
       Searchable access to the WHO's documentations.

2. Establishing whether the data are available through the Data Library Service
   • Search the UT/DLS inventory of holdings.
     Searchable by words in title/subtitles and/or authors (aka 'principal investigators') only. Includes only titles currently in UT/DLS collection.

   • If the UT/DLS does have the data contact Data Library Service to get access. Let us know what software format you need the file in (i.e. what software you will be using for your analyses), and whether you need the whole file, or a subset of cases and/or variables.

   • If the UT/DLS does not have the data contact the DLS anyway to determine whether or not the UT/DLS can obtain a copy for you.