An Introduction to Data Linkage

This guide is designed to give readers a practical introduction to data linkage and is aimed at researchers who would like to gain an understanding of data linkage techniques, either for the creation or analysis of linked data. It covers data preparation, deterministic and probabilistic linkage methods, and analysis of linked data, with examples relevant to health and other administrative data sources. This guide is relevant for academic researchers in the social and health sciences or those who work for government, survey agencies, official statistics, charities or the private sector.