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Adjusting for under-identification of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander births in time series produced from birth records

Statistical time series derived from administrative data sets form key indicators in measuring progress.

Authors:
Lawrence D; Christensen D; Mitrou F; Draper G; Davis G; McKeown S; McAullay D; Pearson G; Zubrick SR

Authors notes:
BMC Med Res Methodol. 2012;12(90):1-13

Keywords:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Linked Data, Births, Identification

Abstract
Statistical time series derived from administrative data sets form key indicators in measuring progress in addressing disadvantage in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations in Australia.

However, inconsistencies in the reporting of Indigenous status can cause difficulties in producing reliable indicators.

External data sources, such as survey data, provide a means of assessing the consistency of administrative data and may be used to adjust statistics based on administrative data sources.

Compared to survey data, information based only on the two administrative data sources identified substantially fewer Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander births.

Record linkage of survey data to administrative data sets is useful to validate the quality of recording of demographic information in administrative data sources, and such information can be used to adjust for differential identification in administrative data