National Center for Health Statistics definition

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is the United States government’s primary vital and health statistics agency.

The NCHS is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Their headquarters are in Hyattsville, Maryland.

What Is the Mission of the National Center for Health Statistics?

The principal mission of the NCHS is to improve the health of American citizens through data collection and analysis.

The NCHS monitors people’s wellbeing by compiling and providing health-related data. This data is then used to guide actions and policies and help medical researchers.

What type of information does the NCHS collect?

The NCHS collects a wide variety of data, including:

• Health status
• Lifestyle
• Exposure to unhealthy influences
• Onset and diagnosis of illness and disabilities
• Health care

NCHS Data Collection Programs

The NCHS has 4 major data collection programs. They are:

• National Vital Statistics System
• National Health Interview Survey
• National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
• National Health Care Surveys

These systems all work in conjunction with each other to monitor and improve the general health of US citizens.

National Vital Statistics System

The National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) gathers data based on birth certificates and death registrations, at both state and local level.

The type of information the NVSS collects helps to monitor occurrences such as teenage births, prenatal care, birth weight, infant mortality, leading cause of death, and life expectancy.

Also, there is the Vital Statistics Improvement (VSI) project, a cooperative agreement between the NCHS and the National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems (NAPHSIS).

National Health Interview Survey

The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is an annual survey of confidential household interviews that represents the non-institutionalized population of the US.

The survey gathers information related to health status, access and use of health services, health insurance, immunizations, and risk factors.

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is the NCHS’s most complex survey. The data is collected by mobile examination centers that travel throughout the US.

The information focuses on diagnosed and undiagnosed conditions, growth development, diet and nutrition, and environmental exposures.

National Health Care Surveys

The National Health Care Surveys provides information about health care providers.

This includes services such as physician offices, health centers, ambulatory surgery centers, hospital departments, residential care facilities, and nursing homes.

The survey takes data relating to staffing, quality of care, patient safety, health care technologies, etc.