Publications
This page includes various guidance documents to navigate services, information to build data capability, peer-reviewed publications from Data Linkage Services staff, our linkage quality paper, and past security reviews.
Data Linkage Services materials on this page are available for download – please acknowledge the WA Department of Health and Data Linkage Services as a source where applicable.
Please note: the WA linkage unit operates under the name Data Linkage Services. References to the Data Linkage Branch (DLB) refer to the same business unit prior to a restructure. Any mentions of DLB within these publications should be understood in this context.
Data Linkage Services guidance documents
| Research Data Services Roles and Responsibilities (PDF, 794 KB) |
| Research Data Services Roles and Responsibilities Flowchart (PDF, 200 KB) |
| Privacy Preserving Record Linkage (PPRL) Guide (PDF, 619 KB) |
| Prioritisation and Costing Framework (PDF, 368 KB) |
| Minimum Requirements for Data Linkage (PDF, 780 KB) |
| Limitations and Suitable Use of Linked Data (PDF, 493 KB) |
Peer Reviewed Publications
| Using data linkage to monitor COVID-19 vaccination – development of a vaccination linked data repository (2022) Eitelhuber TW, Ngeh S, Bloomfield L, Chandaria B, and Effler P. International Journal of Population Data Science 2022;4(5) |
| A blinded evaluation of privacy preserving record linkage with Bloom filters (2022) Randall S, Wichmann H, Brown A, Boyd J, Eitelhuber TW, Merchant A, and Ferrante A. BMC Med Res Methodology 2022;22(1):22 |
| Population Data Centre Profile – The Western Australian Data Linkage Branch (2019) Hodges S, Eitelhuber TW, Merchant A, and Alan J. International Journal of Population Data Science 2019;4(2) |
| Fit for purpose – developing a software platform to support the modern challenges of data linkage in Western Australia (2018) Eitelhuber TW, Thackray J, Hodges S, and Alan J. International Journal of Population Data Science 2018;(3):3 |
| Multi-jurisdictional linkage in Australia: proving a concept (2016) Rosman D, Spilsbury K, Alan J, Ferrante A, Young A, Fuller E, and Smith M. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2016;40(1):96–7 |
| Western Australia unveils advances in linked data delivery systems (2014) Eitelhuber TW, Davis G, Rosman D, and Glauert R. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2014;38:397–8 |
| The Custodian Administered Research Extract Server: “improving the pipeline” in linked data delivery systems (2014) Eitelhuber TW and Davis G. Health Information Science and Systems 2014;2:6 |
| Public good through data linkage: measuring research outputs from the Western Australian Data Linkage System (2008) Brook EL, Rosman DL, and Holman CDJ. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2008;32(1):19–23 |
| A decade of data linkage in Western Australia: strategic design, applications and benefits of the WA data linkage system (2008) Holman CDJ, Bass JA, Rosman DL, Smith MB, Semmens JB, Glasson EJ, Brook EL, Trutwein B, Rouse IL, Watson CR, de Klerk NH, and Stanley FJ. Australian Health Review 2008;32(4):766–777 |
| Cohort Profile: The Western Australian Family Connections Genealogical Project (2008) Glasson EJ, de Klerk NH, Bass JA, Rosman DL, Palmer LJ, and Holman CDJ. International Journal of Epidemiology 2008;37(1):30–35 |
| Population-based linkage of health records in Western Australia – development of a health services research linked database (1999) Holman CDJ, Bass JA, Rouse IL, and Hobbs MS. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 1999;23(5):453–459 |
Linkage Quality Paper
Data Linkage Branch Linkage Quality Paper (PDF, 33.7 KB)
This document contains a summary of Department of Health protocols for maximising linkage quality.
Privacy and Security Reviews
Data Linkage Systems Security Review (PDF, 156 KB): In January 2017, the former Data Linkage Branch (DLB) contracted an independent security review of its systems and processes, carried out by Asterisk Information Security.
Confidentiality and Security in the Data Linkage Branch (PDF, 272 KB): This document is an abridged list of the standards used by Data Linkage Services to manage and secure confidential information.