I am the first to admit I am not a mathematical person, but I do have a certain attraction to statistics. The same way I will peer at a map on the wall, mulling over geographical features and highway connections, I will peer at and think about statistics.
Health data is more than just a fun thing to mull over, though.
Health professionals and policymakers need accurate, well-organized, authoritative health data when writing articles and proposals, setting priorities for health care services and legislation, and advocating for the needs of their institutions. Data and statistics about health can answer questions, support or refute opinions, and most importantly, bring up new and interesting questions that lead us to a new understanding of the populations we serve and how we can serve them better. If you're not familiar with the offerings on the CDC's Data and Statistics page, it's time to take a look. Best of all, he has described each resource clearly. The U.S. Department of Justice has a Bureau of Justice Statistics, whose website offers statistics on crime, criminals, and victims in the U.S., as well as on the justice and corrections system.