Population Data BC (PopData) operates one of the most secure data centres in Canada, meeting and exceeding all relevant legal, ethical and legislative guidelines for data protection and privacy.
The strict protection of the data we hold is of the utmost importance. The tenets of individual privacy and data protection are embedded in all aspects of our operations, and include physical, technical and procedural measures.
Linkage at Population Data BC (PopData) is done following strict guidelines and within a high-security environment. As personally identifying information, such as names, dates of birth, Personal Health Numbers (PHNs) or Personal Education Numbers (PENs) may be used in linkages, a number of precautions are taken to maximize security and privacy.
Population Data BC (PopData) performs linkage on intake of a new data set from a Data Provider, where approved. New data sets are received from Data Providers throughout the year and incorporated into PopData’s holdings on an ongoing basis.
PopData uses personal identifiers and mathematical linkage techniques to link records belonging to the same individual across files and over time.
Linkage allows information on an individual from one data source to be linked to information on the same individual from another data source. Using the linked data makes it possible to gain a more comprehensive understanding than could be obtained from either data source individually.
Linkage can also be used for conducting longitudinal analyses within the same data source, even when identifying information is recorded inconsistently, incompletely or has changed over time.
Data access has been approved for a study examining the impact of environmental exposures on early childhood development.
Spatial data can be used in conjunction with data sets managed by Population Data BC.
Spatial data is data with location information that can be linked to places in geographic space and visualized as a map or used in spatial analysis. Spatial characteristics apply to most population health related phenomena and these can be mapped and analyzed, using software such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), to investigate questions of concern to population health researchers.
NO LONGER AVAILABLE THROUGH POPDATA
January 1, 1985 onward
Includes all deaths registered in the province of BC.
NO LONGER AVAILABLE THROUGH POPDATA
January 1, 1985 onward
Includes all marriages registered in the province of BC.
NO LONGER AVAILABLE THROUGH POPDATA
January 1, 1985 onward
Includes all stillbirths registered in the province of BC.
NO LONGER AVAILABLE THROUGH POPDATA
January 1, 1985 onward
Includes all births registered in the province of BC.
University of British Columbia, 201-2206 East Mall, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3
Health Data Research Network Canada (HDRN) member
International Population Data Linkage Network (IPDLN) member
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