Issues surrounding the use of ICD‐coded data in clinical and epidemiological research
?Amajor purpose for gathering descriptive statistics is to allow comparisons of data overtime and
among different places. In the case of public health it has been particularly important to make
such comparisons utilising diagnostic information.Without a standard measuring tool which
remains fixed for periods oftime and which is applied uniformly fromplace to place,meaningful
comparative analyses of diagnostic information would not be possible. The International
Classification of Diseases is such a standard tool.?
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As health information practitioners we are often the ?experts? to whom researchers refer when they wish
to undertake research utilising data which has been coded with the International Classification of Diseases.
Asthe ?expert? you need to be aware ofthe positive and negative aspects associated with the use ofthis
coded data.
Using the knowledge you have gained through yourstudiesin varioussubjects(eg. coding, integrating
evidence into practice, analysis of health data, applied health research etc) you will need to undertake a
review of the use of coded data in two empirical research studies.