Efficient and transparent methods for linking and analysing longitudinal population studies and administrative data

For many years, researchers have collected data on people from childhood through to adulthood. Known as longitudinal population studies, data from these studies continue to shape our understanding of health and illness. 

More recently, health and social research has benefited from the increased availability of data that are routinely collected for other purposes, such as clinical, financial or government records. Unlike traditional cohort studies, which collect detailed information on a sub-sample of people at particular time points, these administrative data continuously capture information on whole populations as they interact with services. 

Linking these sources of data together has the potential to provide a deeper insight into what determines our health. However, linkage is not always straightforward due to data quality issues, which become more complex as more datasets are linked together. We will develop efficient methods for linking and analysing longitudinal population studies to maximise the value of these existing data.