Systematic archiving and access to health research data: rationale, current status and way forward
Systematically archiving data from health research and large-scale surveys and ensuring access to databases offer economic benefits and can improve the accountability, efficiency and quality of scientific research. Recently, interest in data archiving and sharing has grown and, in developed countrie...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The World Health Organization
2012-12-01
|
| Series: | Bulletin of the World Health Organization |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862012001200013&lng=en&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1797288628009828352 |
|---|---|
| author | Manju Rani Brian S Buckley |
| author_facet | Manju Rani Brian S Buckley |
| author_sort | Manju Rani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Systematically archiving data from health research and large-scale surveys and ensuring access to databases offer economic benefits and can improve the accountability, efficiency and quality of scientific research. Recently, interest in data archiving and sharing has grown and, in developed countries, research funders and institutions are increasingly adopting data-sharing policies. In developing countries, however, there is a lack of awareness of the benefits of data archiving and little discussion of policy. Many databases, even those of large-scale surveys, are not preserved systematically and access for secondary use is limited, which reduces the return on research investment. Several obstacles exist: organizational responsibility is unclear; infrastructure and personnel with appropriate data management and analysis skills are scarce; and researchers may be reluctant to share. This article considers recent progress in data sharing and the strategies and models used to encourage and facilitate it, with a focus on the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region. A case study from the Philippines demonstrates the benefits of data sharing by comparing the number and type of publications associated with two large-scale surveys with different approaches to sharing. Advocacy and leadership are needed at both national and regional levels to increase awareness. A step-by-step approach may be the most effective: initially large national databases could be made available to develop the methods and skills needed and to foster a data-sharing culture. Duplication of costs and effort could be avoided by collaboration between countries. In developing countries, interventions are required to build capacity in data management and analysis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T18:52:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-392eb543f27247988d891c3a85484493 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0042-9686 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T18:52:14Z |
| publishDate | 2012-12-01 |
| publisher | The World Health Organization |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Bulletin of the World Health Organization |
| spelling | doaj.art-392eb543f27247988d891c3a854844932024-03-02T01:14:41ZengThe World Health OrganizationBulletin of the World Health Organization0042-96862012-12-01901293293910.2471/BLT.12.105908S0042-96862012001200013Systematic archiving and access to health research data: rationale, current status and way forwardManju Rani0Brian S Buckley1World Health OrganizationUniversity of the PhilippinesSystematically archiving data from health research and large-scale surveys and ensuring access to databases offer economic benefits and can improve the accountability, efficiency and quality of scientific research. Recently, interest in data archiving and sharing has grown and, in developed countries, research funders and institutions are increasingly adopting data-sharing policies. In developing countries, however, there is a lack of awareness of the benefits of data archiving and little discussion of policy. Many databases, even those of large-scale surveys, are not preserved systematically and access for secondary use is limited, which reduces the return on research investment. Several obstacles exist: organizational responsibility is unclear; infrastructure and personnel with appropriate data management and analysis skills are scarce; and researchers may be reluctant to share. This article considers recent progress in data sharing and the strategies and models used to encourage and facilitate it, with a focus on the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region. A case study from the Philippines demonstrates the benefits of data sharing by comparing the number and type of publications associated with two large-scale surveys with different approaches to sharing. Advocacy and leadership are needed at both national and regional levels to increase awareness. A step-by-step approach may be the most effective: initially large national databases could be made available to develop the methods and skills needed and to foster a data-sharing culture. Duplication of costs and effort could be avoided by collaboration between countries. In developing countries, interventions are required to build capacity in data management and analysis.http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862012001200013&lng=en&tlng=en |
| spellingShingle | Manju Rani Brian S Buckley Systematic archiving and access to health research data: rationale, current status and way forward Bulletin of the World Health Organization |
| title | Systematic archiving and access to health research data: rationale, current status and way forward |
| title_full | Systematic archiving and access to health research data: rationale, current status and way forward |
| title_fullStr | Systematic archiving and access to health research data: rationale, current status and way forward |
| title_full_unstemmed | Systematic archiving and access to health research data: rationale, current status and way forward |
| title_short | Systematic archiving and access to health research data: rationale, current status and way forward |
| title_sort | systematic archiving and access to health research data rationale current status and way forward |
| url | http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862012001200013&lng=en&tlng=en |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT manjurani systematicarchivingandaccesstohealthresearchdatarationalecurrentstatusandwayforward AT briansbuckley systematicarchivingandaccesstohealthresearchdatarationalecurrentstatusandwayforward |