1. The Northern Ireland Longitudinal Study: An Introduction

2. Research-Driven   Cross-sectional studies: change over time?   ONS-LS since 1971 Census   Health & socio-demographic profile Legislation   NILS confidentiality protected, managed under census legislation   NISRA have consulted:   Information Commissioner for Northern Ireland   Office of Research Ethics NI   Health and Social Care Privacy Advisory Committee Funding   Infrastructure funded by the HSC R&D Division & NISRA   Research funded by ESRC Census Programme and NI Executive Background to the NILS

3. Structure of the NILS

4. Example | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1991 2001 2011 Census Birth of Child StillbirthDivorce Marriage Cancer 27-year old Female in 1991 Death Address Change Birth of Child Address Change

5. Northern Ireland Longitudinal Study (NILS) – 28% sample (c. 500,000), based on health card registrations, routinely linked to:   2001 Census & 1991 Census (part)   vital events (births, deaths)   change of address (health card registration) AND potential to link to   distinct Health & Social Care datasets (Not for today) Northern Ireland Mortality Study (NIMS) – total enumerated population in 2001 Census Day linked to:   2001 Census returns   subsequently registered mortality data Introduction to the NILS and NIMS

6. Datasets Routinely Linked Census Dataset 2001GRO Vital Events Datasets 1997-2007 Variables include:  Age, sex and marital status  Religion and community background  Family, household or communal type  Housing, including tenure, rooms and amenities  Country of birth, ethnicity  Educational qualifications  Economic activity, occupation and social class  Migration (between 2000 and 2001)  Limiting, long-term illness, self-reported general  health, caregiving  Travel to work - New births into the sample - Births to sample mothers and fathers - Stillbirths to sample mothers - Infant mortality of children of sample mothers and fathers - Deaths of sample members 2001-2007 - Marriages 2004-2006 - Widow(er)hoods 2004-2006 LPS Property Data 2010Health Card Registration Datasets 2001-2010 Capital and rating value (based on 2005 valuation exercise) Variables include: - Household characteristics (no. of rooms, property type, floor space, central heating) and valuation - Estimated capital value - Demographic data: age, status and location - Migration events: immigrants added to the sample emigration of sample members re-entry of sample members to NI migration within NI

7. NILS data is highly controlled:   access only within ‘safe setting’ (McAuley House);   user licenses & security policies;   no tabulated cell counts less than 10; and   all outputs cleared by NISRA staff. Access:

8. Policy Outreach Obvious policy-relevance 1. 1.Government researchers involved in NILS projects 2. 2.researchers engage policy-makers with their findings   personal contact (formalised through application)   dissemination of findings through: NILS-RSU Ezine ‘NILS News’ / email alerts NILS Research Briefs NILS-RSU website NILS User Group / Research Forum promotional activities i.e. seminars, workshops & conferences, +++

9. www.nils-rsu.census.ac.uk

10. NILS Research Support Unit Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency McAuley House 2-14 Castle Street Belfast BT1 1SA Tel: 028 90 348138 Email: nils-rsu@qub.ac.uk Website: nils-rsu.census.ac.uk

11. Distinct Linkage Projects (DLPs)   Potential to link NILS to HSS data for one-off studies;   so far Breast Screening, Dental Activity & Prescribing   Legal, ethical and privacy protection protocols:   NILS Research Approval Group   Ethical approval – ORECNI   Data Transfer Agreement   HSC Privacy Advisory Committee informed   One-way encryption – more later

12. Potential projects:   Rural health inequalities   Caregiving and mental health   Population movement in Neighbourhood Renewal Areas   Health card registration address change accuracy Linkage developments:   NILS Census 2011   Hospital Inpatients System admissions data Future Developments

13. The Northern Ireland Longitudinal Study: An Introduction