The Danish Prevention Register. A comprehensive health and socio-economic, individual based register

The Danish Prevention Register has been created recently as a very comprehensive national individual based register, based on register linkage. The Prevention Register currently comprises eight registers, which have been linked together using the unique personal identification number. The register contains data from 1977 and onwards. From an international research perspective this register offers unique opportunities to the researchers. The eight registers can be divided into three groups: health-related registers, registers on living conditions and a Register of Population Statistics. The health-related registers are: Register of Causes of Death, National Patient Register (in-patients and out-patients) and Register of Health Insurance Statistics (primary health care, GPs). Within the next few years the register will be expanded with The Medical Birth Register. The Abortion Register and The Malformation Register. The registers on living conditions are: Longitudinal Register of Social and Employment Statistics, Employment Classification Module, Educational Classification Module and Register of Population and Housing Censuses. The Register allows for cross-sectional and follow-up studies and is used for administrative purposes as well as research purposes. An overview of the register is presented in the article. Earlier articles in the Danish Register series in DMB explain details of the registers.