Linkage

Linkage

Boost your research by linking our raw data collection with raw data collected or registered elsewhere. For example to verify self-reported illnesses or self-reported drug treatments with medical or pharmacy registries, or to add more detailed information about employment history or causes of death. 

Linkage of Lifelines data is possible if the aim is to perform research on healthy ageing (based on the informed consent signed by our participants). For this it is important to take into account the rules regarding the irreversible pseudonimization of participants, encryption of data, use of trusted third parties (TTPs) and controlled data access.

Onderzoek van Eelko Hak

In 2017 is Lifelines samen met het Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy (GRIP) gestart met het PharmLines Initiative. Dankzij dit initiatief kunnen Lifelines-gegevens worden gekoppeld aan gegevens over geneesmiddelen die zijn verstrekt door openbare apotheken. Het initiatief is mogelijk door een samenwerking met de InterAction Data Base (IADB.nl). Dit is een database met gedetailleerde informatie over afgeleverde geneesmiddelen, inclusief informatie over de patiënt en de arts die het middel heeft voorgeschreven. De koppeling tussen gegevens van Lifelines en IADB.nl maakt meer onderzoek mogelijk, bijvoorbeeld naar de effecten en risico’s van het gebruik van bepaalde medicijnen.

Current linkage possibilities

For certain linkages, agreements between data sources and TTPs, as well as standard linkage procedures, are already in place, see the list below. A new research project requiring one of these linkages can therefore be started without delay, upon approval by all parties. If a project requires a linkage that is not yet in the list, please contact us. There are many possibilities and we can give you an estimate on the timeline and the costs.

  • Lifelines + CBS (Statistics Netherlands)
  • Lifelines + IADB.nl (Pharmlines, via CBS) 
  • Lifelines + PALGA (Dutch registry of histo- and cytopathology, via ZorgTTP)
  • Lifelines + NKR (Dutch cancer registry, via ZorgTTP)
  • Lifelines + NIVEL (Netherlands institute for health services research, via CBS) -> 
  • Lifelines + Environmental data linked to home addresses (Air quality, LISA-data, GECCO)

Coming soon

  • Lifelines + AHON (GP/Geriatric registry, via ZorgTTP)

How to apply for linkage

If you would like to use linkage in your research project, you need to follow some procedures. For CBS and IADB.nl data there are set procedures, see below. To link Lifelines to other databases or registries, please contact us. We are happy to help you with the needed procedures. Below the procedure of data linkage with: