What is the Child Health Data Repository?
The Child Health Data Repository is a comprehensive inventory of over 100 Canadian datasets that can be used to search for specific intersections of child/family health and equity variables based on our Conceptual Framework for Child Flourishing in Canada. Through this tool, we strive to promote and facilitate access to existing datasets relevant to child health equity research.
To request a free consultation with our data consultant, Sima Gandhi, please complete the online registration form for our Data Consultation Service. For any other inquiries, or suggestions on how we can improve our Data Repostiry, please send an email to leong.centre@sickkids.ca.
What is Included in the Data Repository?
Description. Provides a summary of the scope of the dataset and what type of information is available.
Flourishing Indicators. Measures of child and family flourishing included in the Leong Centre's adapted Conceptual Framework for Child Flourishing in Canada. These include: Adolescent Suicide, Life Satisfaction, Access to Maternal & Child Mental Health Services, Protection from Violence, Early Child Development & School Readiness, Access to Maternal & Child Health Services, Child Health & Morbidity, Parental Health & Morbidity, Overweight & Obesity, Growth & Nutrition, Educational Achievement, Social Skills, Health Promoting Environment, Reproductive & Sexual Health, Lack of Poverty
Jurisdiction. Refers to the region from which the data is collected, and includes the following categories: Ontario Only, Pan-Canadian, International.
Category. Refers to the type of data categorized as follows:
- Survey Data. Survey data include data collected from a sample of respondents. Data are collected from a targeted audience about a specific topic to conduct research. Survey methods may be cross-sectional or longitudinal, and conducted through include online or paper or questionnaires, telephone surveys, or in-person interviews.
- Routinely Collected Health Data. Routinely collected health data included data collected during health system encounters, including physicians’ offices, diagnostic procedures, hospital admissions, among others. These data are collected to examine health system delivery or performance.
- Routinely Collected Social and Environmental Data. Data sources related to social services provided to families, such as housing, financial assistance, childcare, employment, as well as sources of area and community-level data such as resources, neighbourhood safety, and built environment, among others.
- Clinical Registry. Clinical disease or patient registries including records of individuals with specific conditions, diagnoses, procedures or interventions. Registries provide information on clinical practice, patient outcomes, safety and effectiveness, treatment outcomes and costs.
- Large Prospective Cohorts. Prospective cohorts include observational data on specific disease or clinical populations in real time, extracted from administrative data or electronic health record systems.
Population. The individuals and groups represented in each database, including:
- Perinatal (Maternal & Newborns). Includes data on maternal health (health status, health service use), fertility (treatment, procedures), prenatal (antenatal) care, hospital admissions (pregnancy, labour, birth) post-natal care, early newborn care and screening (age < 30 days), fetal and congenital anomalies, and neonatal outcomes.
- Children & Adolescents. Includes data related to health and social outcomes among children and adolescents aged 30 days to 19 years.
- Families. Data on family and household characteristics and outcomes (e.g. income, educational attainment, employment, family type/composition, social assistance, access to childcare).
Access. How the data can be accessed.
Link. External URL for more information on the dataset, including methodology, data definitions, variables, and related documentation.
How Can Data be Accessed?
This inventory does not provide data access. Information on how to access the specific data associated with the datasets can be found in the details of each, but in general can be accessed through the following:
- ICES data holdings: https://www.ices.on.ca/Data-and-Privacy/ICES-data/Working-with-ICES-Data
- Statistics Canada Microdata Access (information on accessing data using the Public Use Microdata File (PUMF) and Research Data Centres (RDCs): https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/microdata
List of Datasets (A-Z)
Childhood Cancer Survivor Study
Description: The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) is a multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary collaborative research resource comprised of participating survivors of childhood cancer and a comparison sibling cohort. Eligible survivors were diagnosed prior to age 21 years at one of 31 institutions in the United States and Canada, survived at least five years, and were diagnosed between 1970 and 1999.
Access: St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital
Childhood National Immunization Coverage Survey
Description: Collects information on national immunization coverage for vaccines administered to children and pregnant women. This survey is intended to: (1) determine if children are vaccinated in accordance with recommended immunization schedules for publicly-funded vaccines; (2) determine if pregnant women are being vaccinated against pertussis and the flu, vaccines recommended during pregnancy; (3) to provide the World Health Organization and the Pan-American Health Organization with estimates of national vaccine coverage for childhood vaccines such as measles, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and polio; (4) provide information on parental and guardian knowledge and beliefs about vaccines.
Access: Statistics Canada
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
Description: This ICES-derived cohort is created using a definition of ≥2 physician billing claims with a diagnosis of CHF (OHIP diagnosis code: 428) and/or ≥1 inpatient hospitalization or same day surgery record with a diagnosis of CHF (ICD-9 diagnosis code: 428; ICD-10 diagnosis code: I50; in the primary diagnostic code space) in a two-year period applied to hospitalization (DAD), same day surgery (SDS), and physician billing claims (OHIP) data to determine the diagnosis date for incident cases of CHF in Ontario.
Access: ICES
Continuing Care Reporting System (CCRS)
Description: The Continuing Care Reporting System (CCRS), contains demographic, clinical, functional and resource utilization information on individuals receiving continuing care services in hospitals or long-term care homes in Canada. Information on transitions of continuing care hospital patients to and from acute care is also included. Hospital-based continuing care serves individuals with complex care needs, who may not be ready for discharge from hospital but who no longer need acute care services.
Access: ICES (*ON only), CIHI
Corrections Key Indicator Report for Adults and Youth
Description: Monitors trends in correctional populations and provides a basis for calculating incarceration rates based on the Canadian population. This survey describes average counts of adults and youth under custody and under community supervision, who are under the responsibility of provincial/territorial correctional services.
Access: Statistics Canada
Critical Care Information System (CCIS)
Description: The Critical Care Information System (CCIS) is a key component of Ontario’s Critical Care Strategy which is overseen by Critical Care Services Ontario (CCSO). The CCIS provides near-real time data on every patient admitted to level 3 and level 2 critical care units in Ontario’s acute care hospitals. The system also provides information on bed availability, critical care service utilization and patient outcomes through the ‘Reports’ functionality.
Access: ICES, MOH
Discharge Abstract Database (DAD)
Description: Discharge Abstract Database (DAD) captures administrative, clinical and demographic information on hospital discharges (including deaths, sign-outs and transfers).
Access: ICES (*ON only), CIHI
Drug and Alcohol Treatment Information System (DATIS)
Description: DATIS is a client-based information system that monitors the number and types of publicly-funded addiction treatment services in Ontario. Information is collected through the use of an electronic client management system that is used by approximately 180 participating agencies across the province. The DATIS database helps to provide information regarding changing patterns of substance use and the trends that can emerge within treatment settings.
Access: ICES, CAMH
Early Development Instrument (EDI)
Description: A teacher-completed instrument called the Early Development Instrument (EDI) was developed at the Offord Centre for Child Studies at McMaster University to measure children’s ability to meet age appropriate developmental expectation at school entry. The Early Development Instrument (EDI) measures children’s developmental health at school entry by asking questions covering five different areas of their early development: (1) physical health and well-being; (2) social competence; (3) emotional maturity; (4) language and cognitive development; (5) communication skills and general knowledge.
Access: ICES (*ON only), Offord Centre for Child Studies
Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO)
Description: EQAO assesses how well Ontario’s public education system is developing students’ reading, writing and math skills. EQAO provides reliable and useful information that is used to help improve student achievement and ensure the accountability of school boards.
Access: Ministry of Education