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)
Electronic Medical Records Primary Care (EMRPC)
Description: The EMRPC dataset consists of clinically relevant information maintained by family physicians practicing in Ontario derived from electronic medical records (EMRs). Currently, about 400 family physicians with active Data Sharing Agreement representing almost 600,000 patients contribute data to EMRPC. These data have been used for a variety of projects, including: (1) validating methods for identifying patients with particular disease conditions using administrative data; (2) developing automated, accurate methods for identifying patients with disease conditions within the EMR; (3) providing feedback regarding physician performance on quality indicators for several chronic diseases; and (4) examining wait times for referrals from primary care physicians to special.
Access: ICES
FluWatch Influenza Surveillance Data
Description: FluWatch is Canada's national surveillance system that monitors the spread of flu and flu-like illnesses. FluWatch reports with information on flu activity in Canada.
Access: PHAC
General Social Survey
Description: The two primary objectives of the General Social Survey (GSS) are to gather data on social trends in order to monitor changes in the living conditions and well-being of Canadians over time, and to provide information on specific social policy issues. Themes of the GSS include life at work and home; families; caregiving and care receiving; giving, volunteering and participating; victimization; social identity and time use.
Access: Statistics Canada
Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Survey
Description: The Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study is a continuing, cross-national survey conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe. The survey is done every four years in more than 40 different countries.
Access: Statistics Canada
Healthy Child Development - Integrated Services for Children Information System (HCD-ISCIS)
Description: A provincial database which stores personal information of families who receive services from the following programs: (1) Healthy Babies Healthy Children; (2) Preschool Speech and Language; (3) Infant Hearing; and (4) Blind-Low Vision.
Access: MCCSS
Home Care Database (HCD)
Description: The Home Care Database is maintained by Health Shared Services Ontario and is a clinical, client-centered database that captures all home care services provided or coordinated by Local Health Integration Networks. This dataset contains information on client, intake, assessment, admission, diagnostic and surgical procedure, and service delivery.
Access: ICES
Hospital Mental Health Database (HMHDB)
Description: The Home Care Reporting System (HCRS) was launched in 2006–2007. It contains demographic, clinical, functional and resource utilization information on clients served by publicly funded home care programs in Canada. HCRS captures data on clients at multiple points throughout their home care services.
Access: CIHI
Hospital Morbidity Database (HMDB)
Description: The HMDB is a national data holding that captures administrative, clinical and demographic information on inpatient separations from acute care hospitals.
Access: CIHI
Households and the Environment Survey (HES)
Description: The first phase of the Households and the Environment Survey (HES) measures the environmental practices and behaviours of Canadian households that relate to the condition of our air, water and soils. The survey was also designed to collect data to develop and improve three key environmental indicators: air quality, water quality and greenhouse gas emissions.
Access: Statistics Canada
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Description: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada data provides information on permanent and temporary residents as well as immigration and citizenship programs. The data contains permanent residents' demographic information such as country of citizenship, level of education, mother tongue, and landing date.
Access: ICES (*ON only)