The Health Improvement Network (THIN)
Description
The Health Improvement Network (THIN) is a collaboration between Cegedim Strategic Data (CSD)
EPIC, an expert in the provision of UK primary care patient data that is
used for medical research, and In Practice Systems (InPS), who continue
to develop and supply the widely-used Vision general practice computer
system.
The anonymised patient data are collected from the practice's Vision
clinical system on a regular basis and sent to CSD EPIC who supplies the
THIN data to researchers for studies.
THIN data currently contains the electronic medical records of 6.9 million
patients collected from the clinical systems of over 385 general practices in
the UK. All data are fully anonymised, processed and validated by CSD
EPIC to give researchers access to the medical profiles of over 2.9 million
active patients and over 40 million person-years of data. Socioeconomic
indicators are also linked to medical records and anonymized text
comments are included.
The data are used for research in a number of study areas such as
epidemiology, drug safety, health economics, health outcomes, and drug
utilization. In addition to providing access to THIN data, CSD EPIC
develops and defines datasets, designs research protocols, and advises
companies in methodology, report writing and publication. They also
offer additional data access, which provide unique opportunities for
further patient research and follow-up.
CSD EPIC is a division of CSD Medical Research with access to multi-country
longitudinal patient data and expertise.
Cancer Studies
Arellano F, Arana A, Wentworth C, Conde E, Fernandez-Vidauure C, Schlienger R.
Occurrence of Lymphoma among patients with atopic dermatitis and/or treated with topical immunosuppressants in the United Kingdom.
Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety 2008;17:S109.
Arellano F, Conde E, Wentworth C, Schlienger R, Fernandez-Vidauure C, Arana A.
Validation of cases of Lymphoma in THIN.
Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety 2008;17:S87-S88.
Haynes K, Schinnar R, Wong P, Strom B, Lewis J.
Recording of pancreatic, colorectal and lung cancer incidence in The Health Improvement Network (THIN).
Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety 2008;17:S38.
Meal A, Leonardi-Bee J, Smith C, Hubbard R, Bath-Hextall F
Validation of THIN data for non-melanoma skin cancer.
Qual Prim Care 2008;16(1):49-52.
Zhang H, García Rodríguez LA, Hernández-Díaz S.
Antibiotic use and the risk of lung cancer.
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2008 Jun;17(6):1308-15.
Toh S, García Rodríguez LA, Hernández-Díaz S.
Use of antidepressants and risk of lung cancer.
Cancer Causes Control 2007 Aug;18(10):1055-64.
Cooper S C, Graham P, Trudgill NJ.
Risk factors for the development of oesophageal cancer in Barrett's oesophagus: a primary care cohort study.
Gastroenterology 2007;132(4) Suppl 2: A420.
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