Welcome to the Center for Public Health Statistics (CPHS)

The CPHS in the College of Public Health at the University of Iowa was established in 1999.  Administratively designated as a collegiate center, the CPHS serves as a clearinghouse for federal and local databases of interest to college researchers, as both a formal and informal educational resource on statistical issues arising in the use of public health data, and as a source of outreach and service to the community and the state.  The CPHS takes the lead for the College in producing the biennial edition of the Iowa Health Fact Book, in partnership with the Iowa Department of Public Health.  The Iowa Health Fact Book is a compilation of county-specific health indicators, health resources, and facts of interest to public health professionals in Iowa.  In addition, the Center is actively engaged in a number of federally-funded research projects in several areas of public health.  The Center is actively involved in collaborative relationships within The University of Iowa, at the community level, the state level, and the national level.  CPHS goals are to generate and distribute community as well as state-wide public-health statistical data. 

Part of the service component of the mission of the Center is to provide statistical and data management expertise for researchers in the health sciences, as well as access to and advice on using large publicly-available national databases, such as those from the National Center for Health Statistics.  The CPHS continues to develop liaisons to provide access to other important public health databases, including those held by the Iowa Department of Public Health and the administrative health insurance claims data from both Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Iowa and the Iowa Medicaid Program.  The Center maintains three secured data servers to hold protected health data, and maintains strict control over access to personal health information.

CPHS is located in the south end of the Westlawn building on the University of Iowa campus.  Please browse through these pages for more information.