title: Generalisability of The Health Improvement Network (THIN) database: demographics, chronic disease prevalence and mortality rates.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The degree of generalisability of patient databases to the general population is important for interpreting database research. This report describes the representativeness of The Health Improvement Network (THIN), a UK primary care database, of the UK population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographics, deprivation (Townsend), Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) condition prevalence and deaths from THIN were compared with national statistical and QOF 2006/2007 data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Demographics were similar although THIN contained fewer people aged under 25 years. Condition  prevalence was comparable, e.g. 3.5% diabetes prevalence in THIN, 3.7% nationally. More THIN patients lived in the most affluent areas (23.5% in THIN, 20% nationally). Between 1990 and 2009, standardised mortality ratio ranged from 0.81 (95% CI: 0.39-1.49; 1990) to 0.93 (95% CI: 0.48-1.64;  1995). Adjusting for demographics/deprivation, the 2006 THIN death rate was 9.08/1000 population close to the national death rate of 9.4/1000 population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  THIN is generalisable to the UK for demographics, major condition prevalence and death rates adjusted for demographics  and deprivation.
authors: Cegedim Strategic Data Medical Research Ltd, London, UK.
authors: Betina T
authors: BT
authors: Blak
authors: Mary
authors: M
authors: Thompson
authors: Hassy
authors: H
authors: Dattani
authors: Alison
authors: A
authors: Bourke
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult