Whither or wither Tracking and Sharing Survey Data

Whither or wither? Tracking and Sharing Survey Data: Findings from the Field E. Hamilton UNB Libraries Accoleds 2003

Recap: NPHS Project Background Ø DLI training exercise on deconstruction Ø Congruence of appearance of NPHS cycle 1 and launch of Data Liberation Initiative Ø Growing concern about production of public use microdata files

Project design Determine evidence of data use and knowledge transfer relating to the NPHS using standard bibliographic techniques with peer-reviewed databases as well as grey literature searching techniques

Research Findings • Broad dissemination of research across many disciplines Addiction; Adolescence; Age and Ageing; American Journal of Epidemiology; American Journal of Gastroenterology; American Journal of Public Health; Annals of Epidemiology; Arthritis and Rheumatism; British Journal of Clinical Governance; Bulletin of the International Statistics Institute; Bulletin of the World Health Organization; Canadian Family Physician; Canadian Geographer; Canadian Journal of Cardiology; Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality; Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy; Canadian Journal of Psychiatry; Canadian Journal of Public Health; Canadian Journal on Aging; Canadian Medical Association Journal; Canadian Nurse; Canadian Psychology; Canadian Public Policy; Canadian Social Trends; Canadian Studies in Population; Chest; Chronic Diseases in Canada; CPA Bulletin; Daedalus; Depression & Anxiety; Diabetes Care; Diabetologia; Disability and Rehabilitation; Disease Management & Health Outcomes; Environmental Research; Epidemiology; Ethnicity & Health; European Respiratory Journal; Geo. Journal; Geriatric Nursing; Gerontologist; Health Affairs; Health & Place; Health Policy; Health Reports; Hospital Quarterly; International Journal of Epidemiology; International Journal of Health Services;

Research Findings PUMFs received greatest use in file types identified Cycle 1 remains file with most research use* * Still being cited in 2003

Research Findings 43 38 Theses/Dissertations! NPHS Ph. D NPHS Masters

The Question: Is there a relationship between dissemination practices and evidence of research outcomes?

Model for NPHS Dissemination Statistics Canada Website Depository Service Program Who is eligible General public through DSP libraries Conditions Available on the Internet at www. statcan. ca Available on site - The Daily - Canadian Statistics - Census - Community profiles - Downloadable publications Warning: some services on the web site are fee -based Service Products Notes Data Liberation Initiative Sales & Customized Tabulations Remote Job Submission Research Data Centres Partner Contracts Post-secondary academic staff & students Individuals or organizations Researchers with accepted proposals Approved researchers Ministerial approval Restricted to teaching and research purposes Contractual; standard fees usually apply Arrangement between STC & researcher; fee charged SSHRC peer review & deemed STC employee status Stringent conditions for authorized use & users only - Paper publications - Electronic publications & select CDs Standard data products: aggregate databases, public use microdata files, and geography files Standard data products; custom tables that have been processed by STC; access to specialized databases Analytic syntax built by researcher using synthetic files, and STC processing Confidential data files from longitudinal surveys begun in the 1990’s, such as the NPHS, SLID, NLSCY Linked or share file depending applicant affiliation & purpose of data use Some DSP libraries provide off-site access to authenticated users Interface to CANSIM I and Trade Analyzer available through CHASS (University of Toronto) Specialized databases include CANSIM II and the Trade Analyzer Available for only select surveys; this service most developed for the NPHS Applications can be submitted through the RDC/SSHRC web site Risk levels promote vigilence in use Continuum of Access to Statistics Canada Products

The Answer? Evidence from NPHS research outcomes study shows “best practice” data dissemination strategies result in a wide range of knowledge transfer. > 600 Items identified 213 Primary authors 297 Articles discovered 118 Periodicals listed 121 Presentations 59 Grants identified 43 Theses/dissertations 78 Reports

Next Step: Share Expertise n n DLI contacts familiar with faculty and student use of data and are conversant with searching strategies Much can be learned about data dissemination for other data sets, both new and older ones. Divisions and producers interested in tracking their surveys (e. g. EDS, CIHI) EAC approved a research paper series to provide vehicle for sharing knowledge

Research paper series n n Research/analytical reports relating to STC secondary data use in teaching, research and provision of data services Primary research, sometimes research in progress, covering diverse topics such as: n n data training and education techniques/programs evidence of secondary data in KT activities secondary data archiving and preservation issues bibliographies and literatures reviews

Whither, not wither! Like grapes on the vine, raw data are not appreciated until they are picked, amassed, shared, tested, treated, subjected to both rigour and experimentation, touched by the hand of student and master alike—and sometimes, by the flukes of weather. The product is worth the effort.

For more information… Hamilton@unb. ca or Neilson@unb. ca