MRC Research Data Gateway
The MRC has developed a prototype online gateway for the discovery of MRC-funded population and patient studies and their datasets and variables. The gateway also provides information on the procedures for requesting access to data.
Via the gateway users can find, select and export variables to support data requests from individual studies.
At the heart of the gateway is the Population and Patient Research Data Directory, which holds metadata for studies, their various phases and data collection events and their variables. The directory does not hold the research data themselves; these are held by the respective studies.
VISIT THE MRC RESEARCH DATA GATEWAY
The directory currently holds over 45,000 variables for four case studies:
- Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)
- National Survey for Health and Development (NSHD)
- Southampton Women’s Study (SWS)
- Whitehall II
The Directory holds the following items for each study:
- Study: a programme of research whereby data from and about individuals representing a population group are collected and analysed
- Time period: a wave, sweep, time period or time point within a longitudinal study
- Data collection event: a survey, screening, interview series or clinic, being the event through which research data were collected; there can be various data collection events within a phase
- Variable: each data variable belongs to a particular study, phase and data collection event
- Contact: point of contact for a study
- Resource: an information item for a study, e.g. a questionnaire form, report, etc.
We welcome feedback on this prototype:
Email: v.vandeneynden@nshd.mrc.ac.uk