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Locating Health Statistics

This guide includes health statistic guides, tools, and resources as well as related general statistics resources

Evaluating Health Statistics

Consider the following when evaluating the usefulness of found statistics or data:

  • Who collected and published the statistics? What are their credentials?Graphic of clipboard
  • What data or statistics is being reported? What populations are included?
  • Is the information current enough? Remember there is often a time lag between data collection and data reporting because analysis takes time
  • Why was the information collected? Who are the intended users? Was it collected as part of the organization's mission? Was it collected for advocacy? Was it collected for business purposes, such as to sell a product?

Making Sense of Numbers: Understanding Risks and Benefits. Learning How to Communicate Health Statistics

Archives Material from October 2017 National Library of Medicine Class-
Making Sense of Numbers: Understanding Risks and Benefits. Learning How to Communicate Health Statistics

Summary: Numeracy literacy is not only a problem for individuals receiving health information but also for those providing information that contain numbers. This class is a basic introduction for anyone who wants to understand how to communicate health information that involves numeracy. The purpose of this class is to understand risk and benefits from a layman’s perspective and to understand that the communication of numbers must be clear and easy to understand. In this 1.5 hour class, participants will also be introduced to several tools that will help in the development of educational materials. Audience is anyone providing health information to the general public, including healthcare instructors, public and medical librarians, patient educators.

Objectives: 

Participants will be able to:

  • Understand their role in risk communication and health numeracy
  • Understand risk and benefit statistics from a layman’s perspective
  • Understand that the communication of numbers must be clear and easy to understand
  • Understand that numeracy is a key component of health literacy and shared decision making in managing one’s health
 
Course Materials: 
PowerPoint Presentation (revised July 2019)
 
Class Length: 
90 minutes

 

Course Developer(s):

Michelle Burda, MLS, Education and Health Literacy Coordinator
 

Instructor(s):

Michelle Burda, MLS, Education and Health Literacy Coordinator
Ann Glusker, Research & Data Coordinator