Tell me who you are and I will give you my consent: a light-touch intervention on consent to data linkage

Publication type

ISER Working Paper Series

Series Number

2022-10

Series

ISER Working Paper Series

Authors

Publication date

October 7, 2022

Abstract:

Consent to data linkage (or the lack of it) has long been an important topic for researchers using survey data. In this paper, we use newly collected survey data to investigate the role that respondents' trust in the research team has on their propensity to consent to link their survey data to their educational, health and recreational administrative records. In addition, we investigate how participant consent rates di er by linkage topic and respondent characteristics. Finally, we experimentally vary the information respondents receive about the research team to investigate the role that information has on trust levels and consent rates. Our results show a strong positive relationship between respondents' trust in the research team and their propensity to consent to data linkage. Additionally, we nd that the provision of additional information about the research team has a positive e ect on respondents' trust, particularly those from an ethnic minority background. However, this increase in the respondents trust does not translate into higher consent rates.

Subjects

Paper download  

#547474

News

Latest findings, new research

Publications search

Search all research by subject and author

Podcasts

Researchers discuss their findings and what they mean for society

Projects

Background and context, methods and data, aims and outputs

Events

Conferences, seminars and workshops

Survey methodology

Specialist research, practice and study

Taking the long view

ISER's annual report

Themes

Key research themes and areas of interest