Skip to content

Working Papers

The Understanding Society Working Paper Series is a programme of methodological research by the scientific team behind the Study. Here we’ve brought together Working Papers and journal articles by the Understanding Society team on linked data.

Integrated data: research potential and data quality

In this review we discuss how integrated survey and administrative data have been used for research on income and employment, education and health; where the future potential for integrated data lies; how we might think about the quality of integrated data; and what we currently know about different sources of error that can affect integrated data.

Understanding data linkage consent in longitudinal surveys

We explore the cognitive process by which respondents decide whether or not to consent to having their survey data linked to administrative records. Using data from the Understanding Society household panel study we document the extent of inconsistencies in respondents’ consent decisions, between data domains and over time, and the impact of the mode of data collection on consent.

Linking survey and social media data

This Working Paper will explore various facets and issues of linking survey and social media data. These facets and issues include: the current context of surveys and social media, particularly in the UK; the availability of data from various social media sites; gaining consent for linkage, linking and collecting the data, usage of the linked data; archiving and re-use of the linked data.

Obtaining data linkage consents for children: factors influencing outcomes and potential biases.

This research uses a large nationally representative survey asking mothers to consent for both themselves and their children for two sets of records. Nearly all mothers give the same consent outcome for all their children. Consent is higher for education records than for health records and higher for mothers than children. Multivariate analyses suggest that minorities are generally less likely to consent, while more trust increases chances of consent. Several survey environment factors are also important. Findings suggest potential methodologies to improve consent rates, important given significant demographic differences found. However, data from 10-15 year olds in the study shows fewer differences for several important behaviours and attitudes.

Understanding Society: how people decide whether to give consent to link their administrative and survey data

ISER commissioned Kantar Public to conduct in-depth face-to-face qualitative interviews to explore the mechanisms underpinning the decision of respondents to consent, to help inform activities related to the data linkage consent process on Understanding Society. This research provides valuable insight into the range of influences on panel members’ interpretation of consent questions and decisions to consent to requests to link data. Understanding the different factors influencing decisions to consent to data linkage helps to identify good practice to follow to support informed consent and pitfalls to avoid in order to overcome the barriers to informed consent.

Understanding Society – a geographical profile of respondents

Understanding Society was designed to be representative of the UK population using a stratified, clustered, equal probability sampling design. This paper uses Census 2001 data to analyse whether Wave 1 respondents are representative of the different regions of the UK in terms of the types of neighbourhoods individuals live in. Neighbourhoods are classified using Townsend Material Deprivation quintiles and the Census Output Area Classification. We find that the respondent members of the general population sample of Understanding Society closely resemble the Census 2001 population at the neighbourhood level – nationally and regionally.

Geographical identifiers in Understanding Society

A range of geographical identifiers are being made available for Understanding Society which allow researchers to merge external data at different geographical levels to individual’s responses. Examples of geographical identifiers at higher level include country and Government Office Region; at medium level Local Authority Districts and Travel to Work Areas; at lower level Lower Layer Super Output Areas. This paper provides a brief introduction to UK geography, gives an overview of the geo-codes available for use with Understanding Society and provides documentation of the variables.

Survey consent to administrative data linkage: five experiments on wording and format

To maximize the value of the data while minimizing respondent burden, survey data are increasingly linked to administrative records. Record linkage often requires the informed consent of survey respondents and failure to obtain consent reduces sample size and may lead to selection bias. Relatively little is known about how best to word and format consent requests in surveys. We conducted a series of experiments in a probability household panel and an online access panel to understand how various features of the design of the consent request can affect informed consent.

The effects of position, context, and order on consent to data linkage in a survey

We report on an experiment conducted in the Understanding Society Covid-19 study in March 2021. Survey respondents were asked for consent to link their survey responses to two sources of government administrative data (NHS health records and Cancer and Death Register data), as well as to be mailed a Covid-19 antibody test kit. We experimentally varied where in the survey we placed the consent requests and the order in which we asked the consent questions. We also examine the reasons respondents gave for consent or non-consent.

How are why does the mode of data collection affect consent to data linkage?

We use experimental mixed-mode data from a probability survey in Great Britain to examine why respondents are less likely to consent to data linkage in online than face-to-face interviews.

Experiments on multiple requests for consent to data linkage in surveys

It is increasingly common for researchers to link survey data to administrative data. If several administrative data sources are of interest, respondents are required to give consent to each of them, meaning that multiple consent questions have to be included in one survey. Existing literature suggests that individual consent varies widely between data sources and over time, but little is known about how respondents process multiple consent requests in a single survey. Using an online access panel in Great Britain, we conducted a set of experiments in two surveys to explore multiple consent requests (covering five domains or data sources).

How do survey respondents decide whether to consent to data linkage?

Linkages between surveys and administrative data provide an important opportunity for social and health research, but such linkages often require the informed consent of respondents. We use experimental data collection across five different samples to study how consent decisions are made. 

Email newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter