Use and benefits

ABS integrated data assets hold a broad range of data that allow complex questions to be analysed, with new insights that aren’t available from a single data source. For example, we now can: 

• Analyse how the background characteristics and living conditions of vulnerable groups relate to their use of welfare and medical services to design and target these services more effectively.
• Have better information about the kinds of businesses that thrive in response to government programs and those that still struggle and may need more targeted assistance.

The key ABS integrated assets are also longitudinal in nature, meaning they allow changes and patterns in the Australian population, economy and environment to be better understood and analysed over time. For example, we can now:

• Analyse how family background and different educational choices influence post-school education and employment outcomes for students.
• Better understand of the types of businesses that grow or suffer in response to changing economic conditions and economic shocks.

Integrated data provides many more insights across various topics such as changes in health conditions over time, employment outcomes for older Australians changing careers, migration outcomes, and the impact of economic downturn on jobs growth and businesses. 

The links to case studies below provide more examples of how integrated data is being used by approved users. 

• PLIDA/MADIP Case Studies
• BLADE Case Studies
• Other integrated data case studies

PLIDA/MADIP research projects and BLADE research projects provide a list of research projects making use of these integrated data assets, including links to available publications. 

Data Integration project register is a listing of approved data integration projects conducted by the ABS, including projects led by other organisations engaging the ABS as a Data integration service provider.