Data linkage resources

Data Linkage Services collaborates with stakeholders to establish and sustainably maintain enduring infrastructure linkages within and between commonly used health and non-health datasets.

Data providers are strongly advised to read our guide to the 'Minimum requirements for data linkage' (PDF, 789 KB) to understand how data quality, completeness, and consistency enables the highest possible linkage rate.

Effective data linkage services involve staff at all levels (governance, ethics, administration and coordination, data linkage, data extraction and systems support) across the entire data life cycle.

• Research Data Services Roles and Responsibilities (PDF, 794 KB)
  This guide outlines the roles of data service stakeholders in facilitating access to data for research purposes.

• Research Data Services Roles and Responsibilities Flowchart (PDF, 200 KB)
  An extract from the Roles and Responsibilities guide summarising the process of data applications for research purposes.

• Privacy Preserving Record Linkage (PPRL) Guide (PDF, 619 KB)
  The PPRL guide illustrates the various processes required to securely link information subject to legislative or policy restrictions.

• Prioritisation and Costing Framework (PDF, 363 KB)
  This framework provides key information regarding the Department’s prioritisation and costing model for data products and services.

• Minimum Data Requirements for Data Linkage (PDF, 780 KB)
  This document provides guidance to data providers on the minimum requirements of data to enable high quality data linkage practices.

• Limitations and Suitable Use of Linked Data (PDF, 493 KB)
  This document articulates the limitations to and appropriate use of linked data due to the probabilistic nature of linkage.

• Using data linkage to monitor COVID-19 vaccination – development of a vaccination linked data repository (2022)
  Eitelhuber TW, Ngeh S, Bloomfield L, Chandaria B, and Effler P, International Journal of Population Data Science 2022;4(5)
  
  
• A blinded evaluation of privacy preserving record linkage with Bloom filters (2022)
  Randall S, Wichmann H, Brown A, Boyd J, Eitelhuber TW, Merchant A, and Ferrante A, BMC Med Res Methodology 2022;22(1):22
  
  
• Population Data Centre Profile – The Western Australian Data Linkage Branch (2019)
  Hodges S, Eitelhuber TW, Merchant A, and Alan J, International Journal of Population Data Science 2019;4(2)
  
  
• Fit for purpose – developing a software platform to support the modern challenges of data linkage in Western Australia (2018)
  Eitelhuber TW, Thackray J, Hodges S, and Alan J, International Journal of Population Data Science 2018;(3):3
  
  
• Multi-jurisdictional linkage in Australia: proving a concept (2016)
  Rosman D, Spilsbury K, Alan J, Ferrante A, Young A, Fuller E, and Smith M, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2016;40(1):96–7
  
  
• Western Australia unveils advances in linked data delivery systems (2014)
  Eitelhuber TW, Davis G, Rosman D, and Glauert R, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2014;38:397–8
  
  
• The Custodian Administered Research Extract Server: “improving the pipeline” in linked data delivery systems (2014)
  Eitelhuber TW and Davis G, Health Information Science and Systems 2014;2:6
  
  
• Public good through data linkage: measuring research outputs from the Western Australian Data Linkage System (2008)
  Brook EL, Rosman DL, and Holman CDJ, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2008;32(1):19–23
  
  
• A decade of data linkage in Western Australia: strategic design, applications and benefits of the WA data linkage system (2008) 
  Holman CDJ, Bass JA, Rosman DL, Smith MB, Semmens JB, Glasson EJ, Brook EL, Trutwein B, Rouse IL, Watson CR, de Klerk NH, and Stanley FJ, Australian Health Review 2008;32(4):766–777
  
  
• Cohort Profile: The Western Australian Family Connections Genealogical Project (2008)
  Glasson EJ, de Klerk NH, Bass JA, Rosman DL, Palmer LJ, and Holman CDJ, International Journal of Epidemiology 2008;37(1):30–35
  
  
• Population-based linkage of health records in Western Australia – development of a health services research linked database (1999)
  Holman CDJ, Bass JA, Rouse IL, and Hobbs MS, The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 1999;23(5):453–459

Please refer to the 'Data Linkage Strategy Reports and Publications' page.