1. Torben Søborg tus@dst.dk
Theme 4.2 Remote access to Microdata Files from Researchers IT Directors Group 24 and 25 October 2005
Torben Søborg

2. History of micro data 1968: The Person Number
: From survey to register based statistics
From mid-1980s increased interest in micro data for research and analysis
1987: On-site arrangement
2000: Act on Processing of Personel Data
2001: Remote access arrangement
11/16/2018

3. Grant from Ministry of Research 800,000 Euro/year 2002-2005
Vision
Grant from Ministry of Research 800,000 Euro/year
Denmark should be one of the World’s leading countries in register based research
11/16/2018

4. The Organisational Framework
Data for research handled by a special Research Service Unit
13 staff
6 academics
6 it specialists
1 secretary
Small branch in Århus, Jutland
11/16/2018

5. The Research Service Unit
Administration of the on-site and remote access arrangements
Administrative work concerning authorizations, contracts etc.
Creating datasets for researchers
Updating research databases
Advisory role – new and old projects
11/16/2018

6. Special registers for research Reducing costs Special research topics:
Research Databases
Special registers for research
Reducing costs
Special research topics:
Labour Market Research Data Base
Demographic Database
Social Research Database
In-patients Register (hospitals)
Medical Prescription Database
etc.
11/16/2018

7. Who can have access to microdata?
Only persons (researchers or analysts) from specially authorized intistutions (stable institutions with a responsible manager and with a number of researchers/analysts)
Private companies can be authorized and have access if they have a stable research environment
11/16/2018

8. Only data according to a ”need to know” Data are de-identified
Principles
Single companies cannot have access to microdata with data on business units
Only data according to a ”need to know”
Data are de-identified
An individual person or enterprise may not be identified
11/16/2018

9. The Technical Solution
Special Unix-computers only for on-site and remote access
Separated from the statistical production
Upgraded several times since 1996
Software: Flexible but most used is SAS, STATA, GAUSS, SPSS
The de-identified micro data remain on the discs in SD
11/16/2018

10. The researcher signs declaration to follow rules
Security
The head of the institute signs Authorization: Responsibility & supervision
The researcher signs declaration to follow rules
11/16/2018

11. 11/16/2018

12. Token – RSA SecurID
11/16/2018

13. Output with statistical results is forwarded by e-mail Mail is logged
Researchers are not allowed to print individual records and cannot download data or results
Output with statistical results is forwarded by
Mail is logged
Output is checked by SD manualy
11/16/2018

14. 1986: 2 researchers 1997: 71 researchers 2002: 151 researchers
Considerable growth
1986: researchers
1997: researchers
2002: researchers
2003: researchers
2005: +300 researchers
11/16/2018

15. The end