The 2006 Canadian Birth-Census Cohort

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Biostatistics

Background:

• Limited data exists on Canadian socioeconomic and ethnocultural disparities in perinatal health.
• Previous analyses were often restricted to neighborhood or provincial levels.
• The 2006 Canadian Birth-Census Cohort Database was created to address this data gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the creation and characteristics of the 2006 Canadian Birth-Census Cohort Database.
• To assess the feasibility of using linked birth and census data for perinatal health research.
• To examine birth outcomes across socioeconomic and ethnocultural factors.

Main Methods:

• Linked 687,340 Canadian birth records (2004-2006) to 2006 Census data using deterministic rules.
• Restricted the cohort to births linked to a long-form census questionnaire and developed cohort weights.
• Compared rates of preterm birth, small/large-for-gestational age, stillbirth, and infant mortality between the cohort and all in-scope births.

Main Results:

• Achieved high linkage rates: 91% for surviving births, 76% for stillbirths, and 80% for infant deaths.
• Cohort estimates closely matched overall rates, especially after applying cohort weights.
• The database yielded plausible estimates of birth outcomes across maternal ethnocultural groups and education levels.

Conclusions:

• The 2006 Canadian Birth-Census Cohort Database is a robust resource for perinatal surveillance and research in Canada.
• The data facilitates the study of disparities in perinatal health outcomes.
• This linked dataset supports evidence-based policy and interventions to improve maternal and infant health.