Two approaches to linking census and hospital data.

Background: This study compares registry and non-registry approaches to linking 2006 Census of Population data for Manitoba and Ontario to hospital data from the Discharge Abstract Database (DAD).

Data And Methods: Using a probabilistic linkage, the registry approach linked the census data to provincial health insurance registries, followed by a deterministic linkage to the DAD based on health insurance number (HIN). The non-registry approach used hierarchical deterministic exact matching based on three variables common to both files to link census data to the DAD.

Wireless telephones and the risk of road crashes.

In light of the rapidly increasing development of the cell phone market, the use of such equipment while driving raises the question of whether it is associated with an increased accident risk; and if so, what is its magnitude. This research is an epidemiological study on two large cohorts, namely users and non-users of cell phones, with the objective of verifying whether an association exists between cell phone use and road crashes, separating those with injuries. The Société de l'Assurance Automobile du Québec (SAAQ) mailed a questionnaire and letter of consent to 175000 licence holders for passenger vehicles.