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New:
New Publication,
2005 Data Available
Welcome to the home page for the Wisconsin CODES
Data Linkage Project. |
The Wisconsin CODES Project is located at the Center for Health
Systems Research and Analysis at University of Wisconsin - Madison. |
In Wisconsin, the CODES linkage project operates as a multi-agency
collaboration. Data from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the Department of
Health and Family Services are linked and studied by analysts at the Center for Health
Systems Research and Analysis. Funding for the project is provided by the National
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) through the Bureau of Transportation Safety (BOTS)
within the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). |
This web page is designed to be used by persons involved in
Transportation Safety Research, Injury Research, as well as persons interested in some of
the possible uses of probabilistic linkage. |
We have tried to provide an overview of some of the research we have
been involved in, as well as some information which we feel could be useful to the
community. |
For more information about the Wisconsin CODES Project contact
Wayne Bigelow . |
CODES (Crash Outcome Data
Evaluation System) is a collaborative approach to obtain medical and financial outcome
information related to motor vehicle crashes for highway safety and injury control
decision making. It evolved as the result of the Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 which provided funds to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) to report to Congress about the benefits of safety belts and
motorcycle helmets for persons involved in motor vehicle crashes. To measure benefits in
terms of reducing death, disability, and medical costs, NHTSA determined that statewide
data were needed that included all persons involved in police-reported crashes -- those
who were injured or who died as well as those who were not injured.
Wisconsin was one of seven
states to receive a grant in 1992 from the U.S Department of Transportation (DOT),
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to participate in the development
of a Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System. The number of states involved in the national
CODES project has increased to 20 States including:
Alaska
Connecticut Hawaii Iowa
Kentucky Maine Maryland
Minnesota Missouri Nebraska
Nevada New Hampshire New Mexico North
Dakota Oklahoma Pennsylvania South
Carolina South Dakota Utah
Wisconsin
As a result of this grant and
additional funding provided by the Bureau of Transportation Safety within the Wisconsin
Department of Transportation (WisDOT), Wisconsin has developed a computerized system for
linking Wisconsin Hospital Discharge data with Wisconsin Crash data. Because personal
identifiers are limited in the data, a probabilistic linking process was used to merge
hospital discharge and crash data. The presentation on Probabilistic Linkage which was given at the
Association for Health Services Research Conference in 1999 explains more on this topic.
The data has been linked for
the years 1991-1999 for Wisconsin.
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The information available
from linked data provides important information on the personal injury
characteristics incurred from crashes, as well as a the costs associated with
crashes.
Linked data can identify the
types and costs of injuries resulting from crashes.
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Linked data can provide
information on the effectiveness of safety equipment, including seatbelts and airbags. The
types of injuries sustained or not sustained using the equipment.
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Data linkage has proven to be
an efficient, cost-effective way to create an injury surveillance system from existing
data sources designed for other purposes. As with all data systems, a linked data file has
limitations. Some arise from the linkage methodology, and others are inherent in the
primary data sources.
Some crash-related
hospitalizations are missing from the linked data set. In our experience, the linked data
is missing about 20% of all crash related hospitalizations. These unlinked cases result in
an underestimate of the total motor vehicle crash injury problem. However, there is no
reason to expect that the cases not linking are different from cases which do link.
Hospitalizations may be excluded from the data set for a variety of reasons, including:
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People who are in Wisconsin crashes but transported out of
state for treatment are excluded.
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People in unreported crashes who have no records in the
crash data, and therefore can't be linked are excluded.
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Similarly persons whose crash records contain insufficient
identifying information (missing birth date or sex) can't be linked with the hospital data
file.
Some crash types may be under
represented in the DOT crash data. If a pedestrian or bicyclist is injured but the crash
doesn't involve a motor vehicle the crash may not be reported to the DOT. Uninjured
motorcyclists also may be underrepresented.
There may be biases in the
reporting of some variables in the crash data. Eighty-five percent of crash occupants
reportedly use seat belts, even though observational studies have determined the statewide
rate of seatbelt use to be approximately 55% to 60%. 0ther information, such as alcohol
use is likely to be selectively reported.
Despite limitations, a linked
data base is an extremely useful tool for documenting the nature and magnitude of crash
injuries and evaluating the effectiveness of specific countermeasures. Nonfatal motor
vehicle crash injuries sometimes are very severe, and can result in lifelong disability.
This makes them expensive to treat. In an era of spiraling health care costs, public
health professionals should explore all possible means for preventing these injuries. A
linked data system contains information on occupant, vehicle and environmental
factors. which can be used for problem identification at the national, state, regional and
local levels.
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Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System
