The primary purpose of health statistics is to:

The primary purpose of health statistics is to guide public health policy and programs. This is fundamental because health statistics provide essential data that help policymakers understand health trends, disease patterns, and the effectiveness of existing public health initiatives. By analyzing this data, stakeholders can make informed decisions about resource allocation, establish priorities for public health interventions, and assess the impact of programs over time.

Health statistics encompass a wide range of information, including data on morbidity, mortality, and health service utilization. Such insights are critical for developing evidence-based policies that aim to improve the health outcomes of populations. Additionally, health statistics aid in identifying health disparities among different demographic groups, which is crucial for fostering equitable health interventions and allocating resources effectively.

This focus on policy and program guidance distinguishes the purpose of health statistics from other roles, such as providing information for individual health care providers or facilitating billing processes, which are more operational in nature. Promoting health insurance contracts, while relevant to the healthcare system, is also not the primary objective of health statistics, as this is more of a commercial and regulatory concern rather than a public health focus.