Health Statistics: Home

The following subheadings may be useful when you are searching for statistical material in PubMed (descriptions provided by NLM). For information on how to use subheadings in your search strategy, visit our tutorial page on MeSH Searching

Statistics and Numerical Data

Used with non-disease headings for the expression of numerical values which describe particular sets or groups of data. It excludes manpower distribution, for which "manpower" is used and excludes supply or demand for which "supply and distribution" is used.

Epidemiology

Used with human and veterinary diseases for the distribution of disease, factors which cause disease, and the attributes of disease in defined populations; includes incidence, frequency, prevalence, endemic and epidemic outbreaks; also surveys and estimates of morbidity in geographic areas and in specified populations. Used also with geographical headings for the location of epidemiologic aspects of a disease. Excludes "mortality" is used.

Ethnology

Used with disease for ethnic, cultural, or anthropological aspects, and with geographic headings to indicate the place of origin of a group of people.

Mortality

Used with human and veterinary diseases for mortality statistics. For deaths resulting from various procedures statistically but for a death resulting in a specific case, use FATAL OUTCOME.

Supply and Distribution

Used for the quantitative availability and distribution of material, equipment, health services, personnel, and facilities. It excludes food supply and water supply in industries and occupations.

Utilization

Used with equipment, facilities, programs, services, and health personnel for discussions, usually with data, of how much they are used. It includes discussions of overuse and underuse.