Rev Epidemiol Sante
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Rev Epidemiol Sante · Oct 2007
[Determination of vital status by linkage of anonymised hospital and national mortality data].
A subject's vital status is essential for epidemiological studies. This information may be obtained for large numbers of patients with different methods, but these are often expensive. This study was aimed at assessing the performance of patient vital status determination using a record linkage method between hospital data and national mortality data once the information was made anonymous in compliance with French legislation. ⋯ Probabilistic linkage on data rendered anonymous enables to obtain information on vital status for a great number of subjects at low cost, in compliance with French legislation.