Using the ONS Longitudinal Study: support for academic users Emily Grundy for CeLSIUS

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Using the ONS Longitudinal Study support for
academic usersEmily Grundy forCeLSIUS
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The ONS LS 2001 data and new research
opportunities

• Data now covers 4 censuses and 30 years of linked
  event data
• New/enhanced 2001 questions on education,
  caregiving, religion and general health status
• More detailed household relationships data
• Second round of ethnicity question (and earlier
  information from 1971) second round of question
  on longstanding illness
• Potential for intergenerational studies

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CeLSIUS Centre for Longitudinal Study
Information and User Supportat LSHTM
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CeLSIUS
Centre for Longitudinal Study Information and
User Support

• Interface between researchers and confidential
  LS database held at ONS, needed because of
  confidentiality requirements and complexity of
  the data set

CeLSIUS is funded by the ESRC/JISC Census
programme service is free to UK academic users
(staff and students in HE/FE).
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CeLSIUS

• We provide
• Online resources
• Advice and training
• Help with specifying data extracts
• Data extracts (secure) for users to analyse at
  their own site data is ready to analyse
• Help with analyses within the ONS safe setting

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On-line resources

• Searchable database of publications
• Information about current and past projects
• Interactive training modules
• Online data dictionary
• Guide to using LS and applying for data
• Links to other documentation information
• Online audit database for tracking progress

www.celsius.lshtm.ac.uk
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Publications search

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Online Training

• Providing training when user wants it
• Interactive exercises to apply whats learnt
• Modules available on
• Defining a study population
• LS outputs
• Ethnicity data in the LS
• Socio-economic indicators in the LS
• Households and families

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Getting around the module

• Forward/back buttons on each page
• Also a menu for jumping to pages
• Menu shows main section titles
• Menu expands to show sub-pages

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MCQ about LS data

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Detail of table

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Data Dictionary Search form

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Data Dictionary Search results

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E-work web accessible audit database
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Using the LS

• Decide if the LS is a suitable source for the
  research project planned
• consult website review publications (online
  list) consult CeLSIUS staff
• If yes, prepare project outline, consult CeLSIUS
  staff and submit proposal, including
  confidentiality undertaking
• Specify data extract needed using online
  resources (data dictionary) and help from
  assigned CeLSIUS support officer
• Specify analyses needed/aggregate tabulations
• Notify CeLSIUS of publications and presentations

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Safeguards on Use of Data
Individuals identities are protected

• Data is normally provided in the form of
  cross-tabulations or aggregated datasets cell
  counts in these must be four or more.
• Analyses of individual level data can only take
  place within the ONS safe setting outputs to
  take out would be regression co-efficents etc.
• Special care is taken with detailed geography,
  occupation or ethnic group
• All users sign undertakings to protect
  confidentiality
• Publications need prior clearance by ONS cell
  counts of less than four not permitted.

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www.celsius.lshtm.ac.uk

• General enquiries
• celsius_at_lshtm.ac.uk
• 020 7299 4634
• Emily Grundy Andy Sloggett Lynda Clarke
• Julian Buxton Mark Jitlal Chris Marshall
• Jo Tomlinson

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Example of aggregated data file of frequency
records which could be released for analysis at
users own site
Source Table produced from data extracted for
Ben Wheeler by David Mayer