Administrative data
Administrative Data is an invaluable resource for public good.
What kind of data is included?
Administrative data can include information on interactions people have with:
- Education records
- Health records (like hospital admissions or prescription records)
- Records of births, marriages and deaths
- Tax and social security records
- Police, crime and court records
Our research frequently links data from more than one dataset, as well as maybe linking it to the Scottish Census (last Census questionnaire done in 2011). This data linkage is a helpful way to include more information about people’s lives in the research. The information gathered can then be analysed by researchers to reveal trends and insights about society as a whole.
When used in the right way, these insights can be a powerful tool and source of evidence, for example supporting more effective decision making about how best to treat a pandemic, future public spending, service delivery and policy priorities.
What is administrative data?
In the ADR_UK video below, they explain:
- what administrative data encompasses,
- why it's so important, and
- how we ensure it is used for research in a safe and ethical way.
Video link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij4mNEFBdyg
