Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

The Integrated Database on Children and Family Services in Illinois is a state-level longitudinal and relational database constructed out of administrative data main tained by public agencies serving children and families. This database, which when complete will document all child contact with Illinois public services over 7 or more years, links individual client records both longitudinally and across agencies. The database yields a dynamic, client-level view of human services and can support a wide variety of research. This paper describes the major challenges involved in creating such a database: acquiring and working with agency data, database design, record matching, creating summary records, and normalization. We also briefly discuss some methods of analysis, such as event-history and geographical analysis, to which the data is particularly suited. Keywords: data archive, relational database, event- history analysis, human services research, children's policy.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Baldwin, J.A. , Acheson, E.D. , & Graham, W.J. 1987. The textbook of medical record linkage. New York: Oxford University Press.

Bane, M.J. , & Ellwood, D.T. 1986. Slipping into and out of poverty: The dynamic of spells The Journal of Human Resources 21:1-24.

Boruch, R.F. , & Cecil, J.S. 1979. Assuring the confidentiality of social research data Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Brookshire, R.G. 1993. A relational database primer Social Science Computer Review 11:197-213.

Coleman, J.S. 1981. Longitudinal data analysis New York : Basic Books.

Date, C.J. 1990. An introduction to database systems 5thed. Vol. 1. New York: Addison-Wesley.

Goerge, R.M. 1990. The reunification process in substitute care Social Service Review 64:422-57.

-. 1993. Longitudinal children's services research: Developing a tool for better information Under consideration.

Jaro, M.A. 1985. Current record linkage research. In Proceedings of the Statistical Computing Section, 140-43. American Statistical Association.

10.

-. 1989. Advances in record-linkage methodology as applied to matching the 1985 census of Tampa, Florida Journal of the American Statistical Association 84 (406): 414-20.

11.

Newcombe, H.B. 1988. Handbook of record linkage: Methods for health and statistical studies, administration, and business Oxford: Oxford University Press.

12.

National Institute of Mental Health. 1989. Data standards for mental health decision support systems By W. A. Leginsky et al. Ser. FN no. 10. DHHS pub. no. ADM 89-1589. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

13.

Solar, M. , Shotton, A. , & Bell, J. 1993. Glass walls: Confidentiality restrictions and interagency collaboration San Francisco: Youth Law Center.

14.

Winkler, W.E. 1988. Using the EM algorithm for weight computation in the Fellegi-Sunter model of record linkage. In Proceedmgs of the Section Survey Research Methods , 1-5. American Statistical Association .

15.

Wulczyn, F. 1991. The concentration of infant placements in New York's boroughs Albany: New York State Department of Social Services.

16.

Wulczyn, F. , & Goerge, R.M. 1992. Foster care m New York and Illinois: The challenge of rapid change Social Service Review 66:278-94.

Illinois's Longitudinal and Relational Child and Family Research Database

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References