Health and Care Data: Approaches to data linkage for evidence-informed policy

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Data Science
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• High-quality data is essential for health services research.
• Future research will increasingly rely on linking diverse data sources.
• Varying data linkage approaches exist globally for secondary research.

Approach:

• A review of current data linkage strategies in health services research.
• Analysis of 13 country case studies using a conceptual framework.
• Informed by practices in high-income countries in Europe and beyond.

Key Points:

• Explores routine data utilization, linkage methods, and researcher access.
• Examines electronic health record data, data safety, privacy, and governance.
• Addresses cross-border data sharing, European Health Data Space, and COVID-19 impacts.

Conclusions:

• Data linkage investment strengthens national health systems and promotes international collaboration.
• Highlights necessary data characteristics for policy-relevant research.
• Provides insights for countries seeking to enhance data utilization for research.