Prof. Leslie Reagan
Spring 2001
This site brings together U.S. government primary sources and primary source access tools for use in research on health and the health care system in the United States from the mid-nineteenth century to the present.
If choosing a topic is proving to be difficult, or if you've chosen a topic but would prefer to do your research on something that better suits your interests, you may want to peruse the vital statistics sources listed below. These are full of oddities that someone new to medical history would never expect to find. Once you have found some mortality data that raises interesting questions, consult the indexes found below. If you can't find relevant material other than statistics, talk with a librarian before giving up on your topic.
Census of the United States, 1790-1990.
Find this under various call numbers arranged chronologically (Government Documents, Census
Bookcase and the East and South Walls)
This is the U.S. government's premier source of social and economic data.
Health, United States, 1975-
DOC.HE20.6223: (Government Documents, Central Bookcases)
The detailed tables in the back of this source cover health status, health care resources,
the utilization of health resources, and health care expenditures. This is available on the
web, but many consider the
online version
to be difficult to use.
National Center for Health Statistics, Current.
Use this site's indexes--
FastStats A-Z and the more detailed
Health Topics A-Z--to access a broad spectrum
of current data related to health. The NCHS
Data Warehouse is also loaded with pertinent
statistics.
Statistical Abstract of the United States, 1878-
DOC.C3.134: (Government Documents, Economics 173 Collection)
For volumes preceding 1955, see 317Un3s in the Main Stacks. Index entries may refer to
page numbers or table numbers.
United States Historical Center Data Browser,
1790-1960
Provides census data at the national, state, and county levels. The quantity of data
found here varies considerably from one census to another, and only a small percentage of the
statistics contained in each census are available through this resource.
1990 Census Lookup
Use this tool to create your own tables. The richest social and economic data can be
found in STF3C (for the nation and states) and STF3A (for counties and cities/towns).
1850-1870 Seventh to Ninth Census of the United States F.317.3 Un3 1790-1870 Government Documents Census Bookcase
1880 Tenth Census of the United States Q.317.3 Un31o 1991 Government Documents Census Bookcase
1890 Eleventh Census of the United States Q.317.3 Un311 1993 Government Documents East Wall
1900 Twelfth Census of the United States Q.317.3 Un312 1997 Government Documents East Wall
1900-1936 Mortality Statistics DOC.C3.2:M84/4/ Main Stacks Deck 5 East
1935-1959 Vital Statistics: Special Reports 312.73Un3vi Main Stacks Deck 4 East
1937-1962 Vital Statistics of the United States DOC.HE20.6210: Main Stacks Deck 5 East
1963-1992 Vital Statistics of the United States DOC.HE20.6210: Government Documents Central Bookcases Current National Vital Statistics System
Census of the United States, 1790-1990
The people who work in health-related fields are a critical component of any health care
system. The best source of information on occupations through 1990 is the United States
Census. Scan the entire list of occupations--you may find some that would not have occurred
to you otherwise.
County Business Patterns, United States 1984-1997
DOC.C3.204/3-1: (Government Documents, Central Bookcases)
Like the Economic Census, this source provides data on many types of economic activities,
including those related to health. Each business is assigned a Standard Industrial
Classification (SIC) code, which can be seen in the left-hand column. To find the SIC code
for a particular type of establishment, consult the index in the back of the
Standard Industrial Classification Manual (DOC.PREX2.6/2:in27/987, Government Documents,
Central Bookcases). To find state and county data, ask a librarian for the
County Business Patterns title for the state that interests you.
1992 Census of Service Industries
Geographic Area Series: DOC.C3.257/2:SC92-A-
Subject Series: DOC.C3.257/3:SC92-S-
(Government Documents, Central Bookcases)
The Subject Series provides aggregate data for the United States on the number of
health-related establishments, the number of persons employed, and the total payroll for each type
of establishment. The Subject Series provides the same data at the state and county levels.
1997 Economic Census
The
Health Care and Social Assistance section
of this census contains the same type of data provided in the
1992 Census of Service Industries. Use this to find the total number of
health-related establishments, the number of persons employed there, and the total payroll for each
type of establishment at the national, state, and county levels. This section includes the Subject
Series--which provides aggregate data for the United States--and the Geographic Area Series, which
you can use to access state and county data. An economic census is carried out every five
years.
Cumulative Subject Guide to U.S. Government Bibliographies, 1924-1973.
015.73C913 (Government Documents, Central Bookcases)
"Contains more than 40,000 entries by subject, alphabetically arranged, taken from 50 years
of
Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government
Publications."
Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications. 1895-
015.73Un35; DOC.GP3.8: (Government Documents, Central Bookcases)
Nothing comes closer to being a comprehensive catalog of U.S. government publications than
the
Monthly Catalog. The Government Documents Library has cumulated indexes for 1900-1971,
1971-1976, 1976-1980, and 1981-1985.
CIS Annual, 1970-
015.73C76 (Government Documents, North Bookcases)
Provides access to a wide range of health-related information contained in House and Senate
documents.
CIS U.S. Congressional Committee Hearings Index. 1833-1969.
015.73C497 (Government Documents, Central Bookcases)
Indexes the text of committee hearings, most of which contain expert testimony. Includes an
Index for Subjects and Organizations. The Reference Bibliography gives complete bibliographical
data--as well as the page number where each witness's testimony begins--for each hearing. Search
the online catalog for the call number and location of each title that appears in the Reference
Bibliography volumes.
CIS U.S. Serial Set Index, 1789-1969.
015.73C759 (Government Documents, Central Bookcases)
Indexes the 14,000 volumes--and more than 325,000 individual documents--of the U.S. Serial
Set. The index provides subject and keyword access. Note that volumes 2,817 to 13,914 can be
found on Deck 1 East of the Main Stacks in print format. All other volumes are available on
microfiche in the Government Documents Library. The print volumes can be checked out, but they must
be returned on the same day by closing time.
CIS Index to U.S. Executive Branch Documents, 1789-1909: Guide to Documents Listed in Checklist
of U.S. Public Documents, 1789-1909, Not Printed in the U.S. Serial Set
Q.015.730534C497 (Government Documents, Central Bookcases)
This set provides access to hundreds of documents related to health. It consists of six
parts, each of which has a subject index and a "reference bibliography." The index gives the
publication date followed by a number that you can use in two ways. One option is to use it to find
an abstract in the reference bibliography, where you will find the title and a detailed description
of the document. The other option is to give the number to a Government Documents reference
librarian, who will use it to find the document itself.
University LibraryFor comments on this page contact: Government Documents Library
Last modified by: Leo Dion on 1/28/09