D2K, PEALS, Newcastle University
metadac@newcastle.ac.uk

Biodata Resource

The Biodata Resource

Details of available data in the biodata resource are outlined by the UK Data Service or can be found in the  Online Data Dictionary.  Active guidance on the availability and use of these data is provided by the Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS), contactable at clsfeedback@ioe.ac.uk.

Oversight

Although the METADAC has formal responsibility for overseeing access to the biodata resource, access is currently supervised by Professor Alissa Goodman and Jon Johnson at CLS.  They oversee access to 1958BC data via special licence and provide advice on obtaining and completing the required special licence. Requests under special licence which raise particular scientific or ethical concerns are reported to the METADAC for discussion and adjudication.

Application and Access

  • The biodata resource data can be accessed by registering with the UK Data Service, University of Essex. Registration involves the Athens Authentication System. If users are attached to an academic institution in the UK, they will already have an Athens user account and their ID and password for that can be used to register.
  • Registered users are able to download data upon agreement to the access conditions specified in an end user licence and upon registration of usage details.
  • At present, data collected from the biomedical survey that are held by the UKDS can only be obtained under special licence. This imposes restrictions on the handling and usage of the data, and enables identification, oversight and audit of those using the data. Versions of the datasets that require such a clearance are marked as ‘special licence’ datasets. CLS manages access to data via special licence and provides advice on obtaining and completing the required access forms which are provided by UK Data Service.
  • All applications are reported to the Centre for Longitudinal Studies Strategic Advisory Board (CLS SAB).

If you have any enquiries regarding application for access to the biodata resource please contact CLS at feedback@cls.ioe.ac.uk

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