About the research
Full project title: Linkage to geographic data
Geographical variables provide information about the characteristics of an area. They include indicators such as area deprivation, geo-demographics, unemployment, weather, pollution, access to services and migration distance measures based on residential addresses. The project explored how geographical variables can be linked to longitudinal data, and explored the types of data that are available.
A report was produced to help researchers interested in how best to enrich their analyses with contextual information about the areas in which longitudinal study participants live. The team also worked to convert specific cohort members’ addresses into geographic coordinates in a non-identifiable way (a process known as geocoding) to enable the study members’ data to be linked with this contextual geographic data. This geocoded data is now available through the UK Data Service (see below).
Professor Chris Dibben
Research lead
Professor Chris Dibben (University of Edinburgh)
Studies used
Research outputs
Geocodes available through the UK Data Service
- National Child Development Study: Sweep 3, 1971 Census Boundaries, 1974: Geographical Identifiers: Secure Access
- National Child Development Study: Sweep 4, 1981: Geographical Identifiers: Secure Access
- National Child Development Study: Sweep 5, 1991: Geographical Identifiers: Secure Access
- 1970 British Cohort Study: Twenty-Six-Year Follow-Up, 1996: Geographical Identifiers: Secure Access
- 1970 British Cohort Study: Sixteen-Year Follow-Up, 1986: Geographical Identifiers: Secure Access
- 1970 British Cohort Study: Ten-Year Follow-Up, 1980: Geographical Identifiers: Secure Access
Resource reports
Workshops
- Using geographical data in longitudinal studies: Value, challenges & examples
- Geographical data in cohort and longitudinal studies
Read about other CLOSER data linkage projects.