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Accessing and Disseminating Longitudinal Data: Protocols and policies
Catherine Chojenta
Rosemary Mooney
Penny Warner-Smith
Research Centre for Gender and Health, University of Newcastle, NSW
Abstract
The development of clear rules and regulations around the access to and publication of data is imperative to the ongoing integrity of a longitudinal study.
Careful planning of policies and protocols should be undertaken at the commencement of the study, and refined over time to incorporate the growing availability of data, and increasing numbers of external collaborators. In this paper we draw on the experience of developing data access protocols for the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health.
We discuss the development of these policies and the organisational structure that manages them. We also discuss the record keeping practices implemented by the ALSWH and how the information stored can be used for both the review of study themes and also the production of research summaries and reports.
Keywords
Longitudinal studies, survey methods, research administration
References
Byles JE, Dobson A, Bryson L and Brown WJ (2007) Getting started: 'preparing the ground' and 'planting the vines' for longitudinal research, International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches.
Chojenta C, Mooney R and Warner-Smith P (2007) Accessing and disseminating longitudinal data: Protocols and policies, International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches.
Helman J, Loxton D, Adamson L, Graves A and Powers J (2007) Conducting substudies, International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches
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Warner-Smith P, Loxton D and Brown WJ (2007) Human resources for longitudinal studies: Matching people to skills and tasks, International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches.
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