Getting Our Story Right: a cross agency data linkageThe process of establishing whether two or more pieces of information belong to or describe the same person, family, event, place or time period. and analysis project to better understand and improve information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples using administrative data collections
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Department of Health WA (DoHWADepartment of Health Western Australia), together with the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research are undertaking a collaborative project which aims to explore and develop different methods for deriving Indigenous status from multiple data sources. By using the resources of the WA Data Linkage System, the project will examine the impact of these methods on a sample of health and educational outcomes among the Indigenous population.
The study aims to compare various methods of calculating Indigenous status across multiple data sources and make recommendations about the best use of existing information resources as it pertains to measuring the gap in Indigenous disadvantage. Linked data will be drawn from collections held by the DoHWA, WA Department of Educaiton, the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages and the Telethon Institute of Child Health Research. Representatives from these organisations have been consulted and have given their support. The study has also received endorsement from the DoHWA Human Research Ethics Committee and the Western Australian Aboriginal Health Information and Ethics Committee.
For more information on this project please contact Glenn Draper at glenn.draper@health.wa.gov.au