The Danish National Cohort Study (DANCOS)

Area of Science:

• Public Health Research
• Epidemiology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The Danish National Cohort Study (DANCOS) is a nationally representative public health research database in Denmark.
• It integrates baseline data from health interview surveys with longitudinal data from national health registries.
• DANCOS includes data from three nationwide surveys conducted in 1986/1987, 1991, and 1994.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of the Danish National Cohort Study (DANCOS) database.
• To highlight its potential for analyzing determinants of morbidity and mortality.
• To showcase its utility in studying healthcare utilization and the social impact of illness.

Main Methods:

• Combines data from health interview surveys and national health registries using unique personal identification numbers.
• Includes data from re-interview surveys for methodological studies.
• Follows respondents and non-respondents through 2002, with linkage to death, hospital, psychiatric, general practitioner, and cancer registries.

Main Results:

• The database comprises data from 23,096 adult Danes (ages 16+).
• Detailed information on socio-economic status, living conditions, health behavior, self-rated health, morbidity, and healthcare utilization is available.
• Extensive registry data includes causes of death, hospitalizations, psychiatric contacts, general practitioner visits, and cancer diagnoses.

Conclusions:

• DANCOS enables historical prospective studies on health determinants, morbidity, and mortality.
• The database facilitates research on healthcare utilization patterns and the social consequences of ill health.
• DANCOS is also valuable for methodological research, including the analysis of non-respondent characteristics.