title: Optimization is required when using linked hospital and laboratory data to investigate respiratory infections.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite a recommendation for microbiological testing, only 45% of children hospitalized for respiratory infections in our previous data linkage study linked to a microbiological record. We conducted a chart review to validate linked microbiological data.
  
  
  METHODS
  The chart review consisted of children aged <5 years admitted to seven selected hospitals for respiratory infections in Western Australia, 2000-2011. We calculated the proportion of admissions where testing was performed and any pathogens detected. We compared these proportions between the chart review and our previous data linkage study. Poisson regression was used to identify factors predicting the likelihood of microbiological tests in the chart review cohort.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the chart review, 77% of 746 records had a microbiological test performed compared with 46% of 18,687 records from our previous data linkage study. Of those undergoing testing, 66% of the chart review and 64% of data linkage records had ≥1 respiratory pathogen(s) detected. In the chart review cohort, frequency of testing was highest in children admitted to metropolitan hospitals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Validation studies are essential to ensure the quality of linked data. Our previous data linkage study failed to capture all relevant microbiological records. Findings will be used to optimize extraction protocols for future linkage studies.
authors: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia 6872, Australia. Electronic address: Janice.Lim@telethonkids.org.au.
authors: Faye J
authors: FJ
authors: Lim
authors: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia 6872, Australia; School of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Western Australia, GPO Box D184, Perth, Western Australia 6840, Australia; Department of General Paediatrics, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, GPO Box D184, Perth, Western Australia 6840, Australia; PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, GPO Box D184, Perth, Western Australia 6840, Australia.
authors: Christopher C
authors: CC
authors: Blyth
authors: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia 6872, Australia.
authors: Nicholas
authors: N
authors: de Klerk
authors: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia 6872, Australia.
authors: Beverly
authors: B
authors: Valenti
authors: School of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Western Australia, GPO Box D184, Perth, Western Australia 6840, Australia.
authors: Oliver J
authors: OJ
authors: Rouhiainen
authors: School of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Western Australia, GPO Box D184, Perth, Western Australia 6840, Australia.
authors: Dominic Yu-An
authors: DY
authors: Wu
authors: School of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Western Australia, GPO Box D184, Perth, Western Australia 6840, Australia.
authors: Christopher S
authors: CS
authors: Jansz
authors: Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia 6872, Australia.
authors: Hannah C
authors: HC
authors: Moore
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D002984:Clinical Laboratory Information Systems; D005260:Female; D006753:Hospital Records; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: Chart review; Children; Data linkage; Hospitalization; Respiratory infections; Validation