Session: Leveraging Linked State Administrative Data to Optimize Prevention Science (Society for Prevention Research 26th Annual Meeting)

The goal of this symposium session is to discuss three unique researcher-state agency partnerships and to present findings from each group, highlighting the power of leveraging linked state administrative data to optimize prevention science. Each research group will discuss the partnership underlying data access, the data linkage methodology, sample findings, strengths and limitations, and best practices. This symposium supports the conference theme of the role of research-practice-policy partnerships in optimizing prevention science and the use of research evidence.

The first paper “Facilitating the Use of Administrative Data: Examples from the Penn State Data Accelerator” presents the structure and design of a university data accelerator constructed through multiple researcher-government partnerships. Key strategies for reducing the burden on individual investigators as well as government partners, and the promises and pitfalls of this approach are discussed.

The second paper “A University-State Agency Partnership to Inform Prevention Science in School Settings” introduces the Maryland Longitudinal Data System, Maryland’s statewide repository for linked education and workforce data and presents findings from a research study on dual enrollment programs. The strengths and limitations of using statewide linked longitudinal data to inform prevention science in education settings are discussed.

The third paper “Health Indicators for Maternal and Child Health: Linked Datasets from Multiple Population-Level Data Sources in Florida” presents findings from a 15-year linked data repository of 38 health indicators for maternal and child health outcomes on all Florida women and children. The methodology allows advancing knowledge on reduction of disparities in long-term outcomes and promoting health equity among individuals exposed to high-risk settings.

The discussant, a leading researcher in prevention science, will provide comments and moderate a discussion on the role of state administrative data to impact prevention science research, policy, and practice. The discussion of three diverse research-state agency partnerships and the findings presented across a range of substantive areas (child welfare, health, education) should attract interest from a diverse range of SPR members, including those who are familiar with the use of state administrative data and those who are beginning to explore the potential to use state administrative data for prevention science.