National database for geriatrics

Summary

Strengths: The database covers all patients aged 50+ and admitted to geriatric wards. Weaknesses: A weakness of this database is that the data quality depends on how the collection is organized at the different wards. In the documentation, there are numbers for what percentage of the patients are included in the database.

Type of data

Data Source
Registry

Type of Study
Other: Registry

Data gathering method
Other: The Geriatric wards gather information about their patients and once a year they report to the database.

Access to data

Conditions of access

Type of available data (e.g. anonymised microdata, aggregated tables, etc.)
Anonymised microdata

Formats available
SAS

Coverage

Coverage Years of collection, reference years, and sample sizes
The database was established in 1999, but during the first years, it only covered wards in the capital region. Since 2006, it covers wards throughout the entire country. In 2011, the database included 11,974 patients.

First year of collection
1999

Stratification if applicable
Information on all patients admitted to geriatric wards - currently 19 wards in total.

Base used for sampling

Geographical coverage and breakdowns
From 1999 to 2006, the database only covered the Capital region, but since 2006, it now covers the whole country. Data quality is dependent on how careful the different geriatric wards collect data.

Age range
50 and above

Statistical representativeness
Other, please specify

Coverage of main and cross-cutting topics
The database focuses on functional capacity and includes the following measures: Barthel index, Body Mass Index (BMI), Timed up and go (TUG), stand up and sit down test. Furthermore, it includes a comparison of patients' measures at admission and at discharge, and how long the patients have been admitted, where they stayed before admission and where they will stay after discharge (e.g. own home, another ward, nursing home, etc.).

Linkage

Standardisation
Barthel index, Body Mass Index (BMI), Timed up and go (TUG), stand up and sit down

Possibility of linkage among databases
N.A.

Data quality

Entry errors if applicable
Not all of the wards measure all of the indicators on the different patients.

Breaks
The 2011 figures are cross validated with 2010 figures.

Consistency of terminology or coding used during collection
Measures are repeated each year.

Governance

Contact information
Lillian Mørch Jørgensen, on leave as head of the steering committee in 2013.
Region Hovedstaden

Denmark Phone: (+45)3862 3462
Email: Lillian.moerch.joergensen
Url: http://www.regionh.dk/kliniskedatabaser/menu/Nationale+databaser/Landsdaekkende_database_for_Geriatri.htm

Timeliness, transparency
N.A.