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https://www.arca.fiocruz.br/handle/icict/26646
CHALLENGES IN ADMINISTRATIVE DATA LINKAGE FOR RESEARCH
Vinculação de registros
Estudos epidemiológicos
Erro de medição
Viés de seleção
Dados administrativos de precisão de dados
Record linkage
Epidemiological studies
Measurement error
Selection bias
Data accuracy administrative data
Author
Affilliation
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Department of Health Services Research and Policy. London, UK.
University of Edinburgh. Institute of Geography and the Lived nvironment. Edinburgh, UK.
Curtin University. Centre for Population Health Research. Perth, Australia.
Stockholm University. CHESS Karolinska Institutet. Stockholm, Sweden.
Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. Toronto, Canada.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Centro de Integração de Dados e Conhecimento para a Saúde. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
University of Bristol. Graduate School of Education. Bristol, UK / UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health. London, UK.
University of Edinburgh. Institute of Geography and the Lived nvironment. Edinburgh, UK.
Curtin University. Centre for Population Health Research. Perth, Australia.
Stockholm University. CHESS Karolinska Institutet. Stockholm, Sweden.
Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. Toronto, Canada.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Centro de Integração de Dados e Conhecimento para a Saúde. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
University of Bristol. Graduate School of Education. Bristol, UK / UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health. London, UK.
Abstract
Linkage of population-based administrative data is a valuable tool for combining detailed individual-level information from different sources for research. While not a substitute for classical studies based on primary data collection, analyses of linked administrative data can answer questions that require large sample sizes or detailed data on hard-to-reach
populations, and generate evidence with a high level of external validity and applicability for policy making. There are unique challenges in the appropriate research use of linked administrative data, for example with respect to bias from linkage errors where records cannot be linked or are linked together incorrectly. For confidentiality and other reasons, the separation of data linkage processes and analysis of linked data is generally regarded as best practice. However, the ‘black box’ of data linkage can make it difficult for researchers to judge the reliability of the resulting linked data for their required purposes. This article aims to provide an overview of challenges in linking administrative data for research. We aim to increase understanding of the implications of (i) the data linkage environment and privacy preservation; (ii) the linkage process itself (including data preparation, and deterministic and probabilistic linkage methods) and (iii) linkage quality and potential bias in linked data. We draw on examples from a number of countries to illustrate a range of approaches for data linkage in different contexts.
Keywords in Portuguese
Ligação de dadosVinculação de registros
Estudos epidemiológicos
Erro de medição
Viés de seleção
Dados administrativos de precisão de dados
Keywords
Data linkageRecord linkage
Epidemiological studies
Measurement error
Selection bias
Data accuracy administrative data
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