(in German)

Over the last two decades, the customary research practice on secondary data, especially on social data, was establishing itself as an important field of epidemiology and health services research. The use of secondary data for research in the context of occupational epidemiology studies is less intense compared to e.g. diagnosis-specific or health economic analysis.

Based on diverse experience with the use of secondary data in different studies, this expertise is focussing on work and health. Special attention has been paid to data linkage of primary and secondary data. In the first part of this expertise the structure and contents of potentially secondary data are outlined, legal conditions of data access are explained and methodological standards of secondary data analysis are described.

The second practice-orientated part of the expertise focuses on future options for scientific use of secondary data in the context of work and employment. Based on current (occupational) epidemiological studies the increasing gain for these studies by the complementary use of secondary data is discussed. A check list is presented for planning and performing secondary data analysis together with recommendations for future research based on secondary data exclusively or in combination with primary data. Different ways for future use of this data as well as the potential of a data set, containing claims data from all statutory health insurance data are explained.

In summary, no longer any fundamental methodological and legal problems are left within the use of secondary data. Instead, it is essential for the planning and realisation of secondary data analysis to consider the general conditions and necessary resources. The potentials, limitations and requirements for a data linkage indicate that an individual data linkage takes a considerable effort. Therefore, these efforts have to be weighed against the expected gain in knowledge.

Please download the complete report "Expertise on the use of secondary data for research on work and health" (in German).