P12
OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS RESEARCH GAPS IN WORK AND HEALTH THROUGH DATA LINKAGE
A.McKenzie1, S. Ayinde2, R. Hollick3, G. J. McFarlane3, I. Madan1, V. Parsons4, G. Wynne-Jones2, S. A. M. Stevelink1
1King’s College London, UK
2Keele University, UK
3University of Aberdeen, UK
4London Centre for Work and Health, London, UK
Background:
There is an increase of workers on long-term sickness absence, especially minority workers. UK studies have collected a wealth of data on health and work, but often these are not linked.
Aims:
The project aims to address the need to identify and link existing datasets to develop our understanding of sickness absence in the UK with a specific focus on minority workers.
Methodology:
Data sources were identified that recorded health and/or work data and extracted into a matrix. Information extracted included demographics, health and work variables, relevant interventions, information on workers who may face particular challenges (e.g., ethnic minority groups, those with rarer health conditions, younger/older workers), and opportunities for data linkages.
Results:
We identified sixty-nine datasets, however, only twenty-five datasets were taken forward as they recorded both health and work data. The majority recorded mostly health variables or mostly work variables unless the study cohort were of the same occupation. Opportunities were identified for data linkages for datasets with detailed demographic data and health information (e.g.,Biobank) and datasets containing detailed work information (e.g.,HEAF study) to understand sickness absence for specific groups of workers and work outcomes over a life course (e.g., return-to-work, retirement). Occupational cohorts were also identified that could be capitalised upon to understand interrelationships between specific job exposures and health.
Conclusion:
Recent advances accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic in the legal, governance and methodological aspects of sharing and linking datasets could help to tackle work and health challenges, considering perspectives from workers, patients and the public.
Reference:
Office for National Statistics report (2022). Half a million people are out of the labour force because of long term sickness absence (shorturl.at/ctNPR Accessed 27th March 2022)
