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Methodological issues in linking study participants to Australian cancer registries using different methods: lessons
Jan Lucas Hoving1, Anthony Del Monaco, Ewan MacFarlane
1Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Central and Eastern Clinical School, Alfred Hospital, Monash University, Victoria.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
|October 15, 2005
Summary
State cancer registries are essential for accurate occupational cohort cancer case ascertainment, outperforming national linkages. Standardizing record linkage methods is crucial for reliable data.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Epidemiology
- Cancer Registry Science
Background:
- Accurate ascertainment of cancer cases in occupational cohorts is vital for epidemiological studies.
- Comparing national and state-level cancer registry linkage methods is important for data quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare record linkage results from state and national cancer registries for an occupational cohort.
- To investigate methodological issues causing discrepancies between state and national cancer linkage data.
Main Methods:
- Incident invasive cancers in an occupational cohort (>11,000 workers) were identified via linkage to the National Cancer Statistics Clearing House (NCSCH) in 2003.
- Results were compared with linkages from Victoria and Western Australia cancer registries (2004) and a previous NCSCH linkage (1998).
Main Results:
- The NCSCH under-ascertained confirmed cancer cases by approximately 13% in Victoria and 11% in Western Australia.
- 14 cases (5%) identified in a 1998 NCSCH linkage were not matched in the 2003 linkage.
Conclusions:
- Linkage to state cancer registries is crucial for maximizing cancer case ascertainment in occupational cohorts.
- Discrepancies are attributed to variations in record linkage process quality; standardization is needed.
- Performing cancer record linkages through state registries is advisable, potentially in addition to or instead of national registries.