Subscribe to RSS
Please copy the URL and add it into your RSS Feed Reader.
https://www.thieme-connect.de/rss/thieme/en/10.1055-s-00035037.xml
Download PDF
Methods Inf Med 1995; 34(04): 371-377
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1634616
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1634616
Original Article
The Feasibility and Accuracy of Anonymized Record Linkage to Estimate Shared Clientele among Three Health and Social Service Agencies
Further Information
Publication History
Publication Date:
16 February 2018 (online)
Abstract:
This study was designed to test the effectiveness of three computerized methods of record linkage, using minimal identifiers. The goal of the linkage was to determine the proportion of persons receiving Public Health Nursing Services (n = 5,749) who also receive income assistance from the region (n = 38,800) or the province (n = 16,741). The first linkage method was based on full agreement of a number of variables (deterministic matching) and the second was based on the likelihood of the match (probabilistic matching). The third method combined information from methods 1 and 2. Method 3 proved to be the most effective linkage technique, with a specificity of 0.98 and sensitivity of 0.94. The linkage showed that only 17% of the Public Health clientele received income assistance from the region or province, much lower than expected. Factors which have probably led to an underestimate are discussed.
-
References
- 1 Browne G, Arpin K, Corey P, Fitch M, Gafni A. Individual correlates of health service utilization and the cost of poor adjustment to chronic illness. Medical Care 1990; 28: 43-58.
- 2 White KL. International comparisons of medical care. Scientific American 1975; 233: 17-25.
- 3 Kogan WS, Thompson DT, Brown JR. et al. Impact of integration of mental health service and comprehensive medical care. Medical Care 1975; 13: 934.
- 4 Browne GB, Pallister R, Crook J. Psychotherapeutic intervention and health service utilization. Family Practice 1982; 14: 593-4.
- 5 Andersen R, Newman JF. Societal and individual determinants of medical care utilization in the United States. Milbank Q 1973; 51: 95-124.
- 6 Aday LA, Eichhorn RL. The Utilization of Health Services: Indices and Correlates. Lafayette, Ind.: Purdue University; 1972
- 7 McLaughlin JR, Kreiger N, Marrett LD, Holowaty EJ. Cancer incidence registration and trends in Ontario. Eur J Cancer 1991; 27 (11) 1520-4.
- 8 Clarke EA, Marrett LD, Kreiger N. Cancer registration in Ontario: A computer approach. IARC Sci Publ 1991; 95: 246-57.
- 9 Inskip PD, Harvey EB, Boice Jr JD, Stone BJ, Matanoski G, Flannery JT, Fraumeni Jr JF. Incidence of childhood cancer in twins. Cancer Causes Control 1991; (Sept) 2 (05) 315-24.
- 10 Olsen JH, de Nully Browne P, Schulgen G, Jensen OM. Parental employment at time of conception and risk of cancer in offspring. Eur J Cancer 1991; 27 (08) 958-65.
- 11 Barrai I, Nenci I, Guidi E, Dell’Acqua G, Formica G, Barbujani G, Marzola A, Marani G, Barale R, Beretta M. Linkage of biopsy, cancer, and population records aimed at the estimation of family risks in neoplasio: A pilot study. J Epidemiol Community Health 1991; June 45 (02) 107-11.
- 12 Hakama M, Aaran RK, Alfthan G, Aromaa A, Hakulinen T, Knekt P, Maatela J, Nikkari T, Peto R, Teppo L. Linkage of serum sample bank and cancer registry in epidemiological studies. Prog Clin Bioi Res 1990; 346: 169-78.
- 13
Guenel P,
Engholm G,
Lynge E.
Laryngeal cancer in Denmark: A nationwide longitudinal study based on register linkage
data. Br J Ind Med 1990; July 47 (07) 473-9.
MissingFormLabel
- 14 Chuang TY, Popescu NA, Su WP, Chute CG. Squamous cell carcinoma. A population-based incidence study in Rochester, Minn. Arch Dermatol 1990; Feb 126 (02) 185-8.
- 15 Pettersson F, Malker B. Invasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix following diagnosis and treatment of in situ carcinoma. Record linkage study within a National Cancer Registry. Radiother Oncol 1989; Oct 16 (02) 115-20.
- 16 Russell J, Conroy C. Representativeness of deaths identified through the injury-at-work item on the death certificate: Implications for surveillance. Am J Public Health 1991; Dec 81 (12) 1613-8.
- 17 Malker HS, Weiner JA, McLaughlin JK. Register epidemiology studies of recent cancer trends in selected workers. Ann NY Acad Sci 1990; 609: 322-32.
- 18 Shannon HS, Jamieson E, Walsh C, Julian JA, Fair ME, Buffet A. Comparison of individual follow-up and computerized record linkage using the Canadian Mortality Data Base. Can J Public Health 1989; Jan-Feb 80 (01) 54-7.
- 19 Embree VC, Enarson DA, Hertzman C. Historical employment records as data bases for occupational disease research – a case study. Can J Public Health 1989; Jan-Feb 80 (81) 50-3.
- 20 Johansen H, Paddon P, Chagani K, Hamilton D, Kiss L, Krawchuk S. Acute myocardial infarction. A feasibility study using record-linkage of routinely collected health information to create a two-year patient profile. Manitoba, 1984-85 and 1985-86. Health Rep 1990; 2 (04) 305-25.
- 21 Patterson CC, McCrum EE, Mathewson Z, Evans AE. Validation of two methods of long-term epidemiological follow-up. Ulster Med J 1990; Oct 59 (02) 177-82.
- 22 Sheps S. Components of a minimum data set. Can J Public Health 1989; Nov-Dec 80 (06) 430-2.
- 23 Codd MB, Sugrue DD, Gersh BJ, Melton U. 3rd. Epidemiology of idiopathic dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. A population-based study in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1975-1984. Circulation 1989; Sept 80 (03) 564-72.
- 24 Nedelman J, Burns A, Cleary J, Gordon D, Vernon P, Lawrence CE. Modelling length bias in a longitudinally-linked record system of HIV cases. Stat Med 1991; Mar 10 (03) 423-31.
- 25 Calzavara LM, Coates RA, Craib KJ, Schechter MT, Le TN, Nault PL, Elmslie K. Underreporting of AIDS cases in Canada: A record linkage study. Can Med Assoc J 1990; Jan 142 (01) 36-9.
- 26 Shapiro S. The role of automated record linkage in the postmarketing surveillance of drug safety: A critique. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1989; 46 (04) 371-86.
- 27 Maggini M, Menniti IF, Spila AS, Traversa G, Fortini M. Drug utilization studies within the VIDEOFAR project. Ann lst Super Sanita 1991; 27 (02) 201-6.
- 28 Raschetti R. VIDEOFAR: An epidemiologic tool fo drug utilization studies. Ann lst Super Sanita 1991; 27 (02) 191-3.
- 29 Shapiro S. Automated record linkage: A response to the commentary and letters to the editor. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1989; Oct 46 (04) 478-9.
- 30 Buescher PA, Roth MS, Williams D, Goforth CM. An evaluation of the impact of maternity care coordination on Medicaid birth outcomes in North Carolina. Am J Public Health 1991; Dec 81 (12) 1625-9.
- 31 Ferguson JA, Goldacre MJ, Henderson J, Freeland AP. Workload trends in otolaryngology: Some statistical observations from medical record linkage. Clin Otolaryngol 1991; Aug 16 (04) 393-8.
- 32 Kokmen E, Beard CM, Chandra V, Offord KP, Schoenberg BS, Ballard DJ. Clinical risk factors for Alzheimer’S disease: A population-based case-control study. Neurology 1991; Sept 41 (09) 1393-7.
- 33 Newman SC, Bland RC. Mortality in a cohort of patients with schizophrenia: A record linkage study. Can J Psychiatry 1991; May 36 (04) 239-45.
- 34 Allgulander C, Nasman P. Regular hypnotic drug treatment in a sample of 32,679 Swedes: Associations with somatic and mental health, inpatient psychiatric diagnoses and suicide, derived with automated record linkage. Psychosom Med 1991; Jan-Feb 53 (01) 101-8.
- 35 Fair ME, Lalonde P, Newcombe HB. Application of exact ODDS for partial agreements of names in record linkage. Comput Biomed Res 1991; Feb 24 (01) 58-71.
- 36 Fox AJ. Socio-economic differences in mortality and morbidity. Scand J soc Med 1990; 18 (01) 1-8.
- 37 Woogh CM. Patients with multiple admissions in a psychiatric record linkage system. Can J Psychiatry 1990; June 35 (05) 401-6.
- 38 Persson I, Adami HO, Bergstrom R, Krusemo UB, Hoover R. Survival in women receiving hormone replacement therapy. A record-linkage study of a large population-based cohort. J Clin Epidemiol 1990; 43 (07) 677-85.
- 39 Baron RC, Bailey CW, Thoenen EG. Infant mortality in West Virginia. Identifying risk factors for public health intervention. W V Med J 1989; Nov 85 (11) 489-95.
- 40 Beardon PH, Brown SV, McDevitt DG. Gastrointestinal events in patients prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: A controlled study using record linkage in Tayside. Q J Med 1989; June 71 (266) 497-505.
- 41 Deykin EY. The utility of emergency room data for record linkage in the study of adolescent suicidal behaviour. Suicide Life Threat Behav 1989; Spring 19 (01) 90-8.
- 42 Black DW. The Iowa record-linkage experience. Suicide Life Threat Behav 1989; Spring 19 (01) 78-89.
- 43 Allgulander C. Psychoactive drug use in a general population sample, Sweden: Correlates with perceived health, psychiatric diagnoses, and mortality in an automated record-linkage study. Am J Public Health 1989; Aug 79 (08) 1006-10.
- 44 Benford MS, Slack CB. Development of a statewide Maternal and Child Health Information Network. Comput Nurs 1989; Jan-Feb 7 (01) 9-14.
- 45 Roos Jr LL, Wajda A, Nicol JP. The art and science of record linkage methods that work with few identifiers. Comput Biol Med 1986; 16 (01) 45-57.
- 46 Storm HH. Completeness of Cancer registration in Denmark 1943-1966 and efficacy of record linkage procedures. International Journal of Epidemiology 1988; 17 (01) 44-9.
- 47 Brandt J, Schouten L, Goldbohm R, Hunen E. Development of a record linkage protocol for use in the Dutch Cancer registry for epidemiological research. International Journal of Epidemiology 1990; 19 (03) 553-8.
- 48 Goldacre M, Clarke J, Heasman M, Vessey M. Follow-up of vasectomy using medical record linkage. American Journal of Epidemiology 1978; 108 (03) 176-80.
- 49 Newcombe HB, Smith ME, Howe GR, Mingay J, Strugnell A, Abbatt JD. Reliability of computerized versus manual death searches in a study of the health of Eldorado uranium workers. Comput Biol Med 1983; 13 (03) 157-69.
- 50 Newcombe HB. Handbook of record linkage. Methods for health and statistical studies, administration, and business. New York: Oxford University Press; 1988: 108-11 180-206.
- 51 Newcombe HB. Record linking: The design of efficient systems for linking records into individual and family histories. American Journal of Human Genetics 1967; 19 (03) 335-59.
- 52 Wajda A, Roos LL. Simplifying record linkage: Software and strategy. Computers in Biology and Medicine 1987; 17 (04) 239-48.
- 53 Wajda A, Roos LL, Layefsky M, Singleton JA. Record linkage strategies: Part II. Portable software and deterministic matching. Meth Inform Med 1991; 30: 210-4.
- 54 Smith ME. Record linkage: Present status and methodology. J Clin Comp 1984; 13: 52-69.
- 55 Roos LL, Wajda A. Record linkage strategies. Part I – Estimating information and evaluating approaches. Meth Inform Med 1991; 30: 117-23.
- 56 Howe GR, Lindsay J. A generalized iterative record linkage computer system for use in medical follow-up studies. Computers and Biomedical Research 1981; 14: 327-40.