Guide to the Public Health Department Records

Shoshana Francis

Santa Clara County Archives

1875 Senter Road

San Jose, CA 95112-2527

Phone: (408) 755-7895

Fax: (408) 755-7897

URL: http://archives.sccgov.org

Email: Archives@ceo.sccgov.org

Guide to the Public Health Department Records

Collection number: 2007-001, 2007-004, and 2007-009

Santa Clara County Archives

San Jose, California

Processed by:: Shoshana Francis
Date Completed:: 2007
Encoded by:: Shoshana Francis

Descriptive Summary

Title: Public Health Department records

Dates: 1940-2006

Collection number: 2007-001, 2007-004, and 2007-009

Creator: Santa Clara County (Calif.) Public Health Dept.

Collection Size: 22 archives boxes and 3 unboxed plaques

Repository: Santa Clara County Archives.

San Jose, CA 95112-2527

Abstract: This collection contains records and documents created by the Public Health Department from 1940 to 2006. The majority of the collection is statistical reports.

Physical location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult Archives staff.

Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

The Archives can claim physical ownership only for some collections. Users are responsible for securing permission of the copyright holder for publication or quotation.

Preferred Citation

Public Health Department records, 2007-001, 2007-004, and 2007-009, Santa Clara County Archives.

Acquisition Information

This collection was transferred to the Archives by the Public Health Department in 2007.

Processing Information

This collection was in no particular order when accessioned. Most of the statistical reports were already housed in binders and needed only to be put in chronological order and boxed. The older reports from the 1940s were foldered for protection. However, the random administrative files had to be arranged loosely by function and chronology. Some folders needed replacing, but the originals were kept when possible. The plaques are unboxed.

Administrative History

Counties were first mandated to care for the county welfare by the state legislature in 1850. The Public Health Department, which has existed as a separate administrative unit from at least 1940, is responsible for assessing community health status, preventing diseas, injury, and premature death, promoting health practices, and collecting vital statistics. In 1993 the department was merged with the County hospital system to become part of the Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System (SCVHHS.

Scope and Content of Collection

The bulk of this collection consists of statistical data collected by the Public Health Department, including birth reports, death reports, morbidity reports, and published survey results, arranged first by type of report and then chronologically. Also included are general administrative files that illuminate some of the processes through which these reports are generated, as well as three plaques.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by type of report and then chronologically. There are separate series for publications and administrative files.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Santa Clara County (Calif.)

Public Health Statistics

Statistical reports, 1940-2000

Physical Description: 16 archives boxes.

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains statistical reports put out by the Public Health Department. Not all years are represented.

Annual statistical reports, 1940-2000

Physical Description: 3 archives boxes.

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

Annual Statistical Reports, also known as Vital Statistics Reports or Annual Reports, are documents produced annal that provide a general overview of health statistics for the county.

Birth reports, 1979-1999

Physical Description: 3 archives boxes.

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

Birth reports provide in-depth statistics for all births in the county, including age of mother and ethnicity.

Death reports, 1978-1999

Physical Description: 5 archives boxes.

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

Death reports provide in-depth statistics on all deaths in the county.

Morbidity and selected reportable diseases reports, 1947-2000

Physical Description: 4 archives boxes.

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

These reports provide information on diseases reported in the county.

Publications, 1994-2006

Physical Description: 2 archives boxes.

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains publications pub out by the Public Health Department, often in cooperation with other health organizations. It includes Health Status Reports and other reports based on public surveys. Not all years are represented.

Administrative files, 1953-2004

Physical Description: 4 archives boxes and 3 plaques.

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains administratives files such as reference and support materials, files relating to computer systems and automations, meeting ephemera, and other general office files.

Reference and support materials, 1953-2004

Physical Description: 1 archives box.

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries consists of reference and support materials for the creation of public health statistics and surveys.

General administrative files, 1964-2001

Physical Description: 1 archives box.

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

These files relate to the internal functions of the Public Health Department, such as computer systems information and performance measurement.

Posters and meeting ephemera, 1999-2001

Physical Description: 2 poster boxes.

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries contains posters. Some are formal posters showing survey results, and others are large sheets of paper used at meetings, with handwritten details.

Plaques, 1952-1993

Physical Description: 3 plaques.

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This subseries consists of the following plaques: Santa Clara County Health Department Board of Supervisors 1952; In Honor of W. Elwyn Turner, 1986; In gratitude to J. Kennedy Bartholet, 1993.