Scottish Health and Ethnicity Linkage Study - SHELS Phase 4
Research type
Research Database
Full title
Scottish Health and Ethnicity Linkage Study: SHELS Phase 4
IRAS ID
139565
Contact name
Alex Stannard
Contact email
REC name
Scotland A REC
REC reference
13/SS/0225
Date of REC Opinion
16 Dec 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion
Data collection arrangements
The SHELS 4 project is taking place in Scotland during 2013-2016. The study is a collaboration between the University of Edinburgh, Glasgow Caledonian University, Information Services Division of NHS Scotland, and the National Records of Scotland. It involves using anonymous health data (on all-cause hospitalisation, mortality, injuries and poisoning, all infectious and parasitic diseases, specific infections: Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B and HIV, bowel cancer screening and primary care outcomes) from Information Services Division Scotland (ISD) that successfully link to Census 2001 data held by National Records Scotland (NRS).
This application builds on our methods to link screening, morbidity, mortality and general practice risk factor information to self-assigned ethnicity and other relevant variables in the 2001 Census.
Extraction and linkage of health records will be carried out by ISD staff and anonymised research databases created. These datasets will be securely transferred to NRS where NRS staff will link to 2001 Census data and create anonymised analysis databases which will be stored in a recognised safe haven at NRS.Research programme
Ethnic inequality is striking in health status, disease patterns, health outcomes, and utilisation of health services in the UK and overseas. Quantifying and understanding this inequality is essential to identify the health needs of the population and assess the extent to which health care is delivered in a fair and equitable manner. Explaining these inequalities poses a high level scientific challenge that is commanding attention internationally. Scotland has already contributed both methodologically and in terms of empirical data towards this important international goal. In June 2010 the World Health Assembly of the WHO discussed progress on the challenges of improving the health and health care of migrants internationally, with a strong emphasis on better surveillance. Research on the health of minority ethnic groups is responding to Scottish Government policy and anti-discriminatory legislation (Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 and Equality Act 2010). Scotland's Ethnicity and Health Research Strategy has identified ethnic coding as the first, and making better use of data linkage methods the second, of five priorities. Fair For All (2002), Scotland's policy, emphasises the need for a strategic approach to improve the health of minority ethnic groups and this requires quality data. Progress, however, is undermined by the lack of ethnic coding to produce solid research evidence to underpin policy development, service planning, delivery of health services and research. Ethnic coding in Scotland's primary and secondary care records is improving but not yet of sufficient quantity or quality to be used for research. Moreover, prospective ethnic coding will not provide the extensive social and economic circumstances our linkage method gives. Thus the research output will be of practical benefit at national level and contribute substantially to international research.
Establishment organisation
The University of Edinburgh, ISD Scotland, National Records Scotland
Establishment organisation address
C/O Centre for Population Health Sciences
The University of Edinburgh
Teviot Place
EH8 9AG