Background
Linking data sets can enable analyses that are not possible using each data set separately. AIHW has undertaken several data linkage projects to compare cancer and mortality outcomes for cancers diagnosed through participation in national cancer screening programs and cancers diagnosed through other means.
Aim
To describe cancer data linkages and the methodologies involved.
Methods
Data from the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, BreastScreen Australia, the National Cervical Screening Program, the Australian Cancer Database, the National Death Index and the National HPV Vaccination Program Register, were probabilistically linked by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare using personal identifiers.
Results
Data from the national cancer screening programs, the Australian Cancer Database, the National Death Index and the National HPV Vaccination Program Register were successfully linked. The data set contains all people diagnosed with cancer in Australia irrespective of whether they participated in the national breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening programs and all individuals who participated in the national breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening programs irrespective of whether they were diagnosed with cancer. The linked data set was used to analyse screening behaviours across the three programs and to analyse the cancer mortality outcomes for cancers diagnosed through participation in these programs.
Conclusion
Cancer data sets can be linked to enable analyses that are not possible using each data set separately. The AIHW is working to establish enduring linked data sets for cancer and other topics that are not project-specific so could be used for numerous different projects.