Using linked administrative and census data for migration research

Area of Science:

• Demography
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Migration significantly impacts population dynamics, economic, and social factors.
• Internal migration is under-researched despite its quantitative importance compared to international migration.
• Existing data limitations hinder a comprehensive understanding of mobility patterns and processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of General Practitioner (GP) administrative health data for enhancing internal migration research.
• To demonstrate how linking GP data with census-based longitudinal studies can advance the study of population mobility.
• To explore novel methods for comprehending internal migration dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Scottish Longitudinal Study (SLS).
• Linked General Practitioner administrative health data from the National Health Service (NHS) with census data.
• Examined internal migration by country of birth as an illustrative case.

Main Results:

• GP administrative health data, when linked to longitudinal studies, show significant potential for migration research.
• This data linkage provides novel insights into the characteristics of movers and the nature of their movements.
• Identified data quality considerations crucial for successful integration.

Conclusions:

• Linking administrative health data to longitudinal studies offers a powerful approach to understanding internal migration.
• This methodology can fill critical knowledge gaps in population mobility research.
• Future research should leverage integrated datasets to gain deeper insights into migration phenomena.