Nordic data sources

The Nordic countries have a combined population of nearly 28 million inhabitants and several similar types of data sources, such as population and quality registers, biobanks and research cohorts. However, individual variables in the registers may differ in significance between countries.

Combining data sources across national borders makes it possible to study larger populations, for example, which enables statistically reliable conclusions even for rare diseases or events.

The processes for requesting data vary between countries. Some examples of these variations are:

• Finland, Norway and Denmark have, or are developing, a national portal for applying for data extraction for research purposes.
• In some cases, national requirements, such as approved ethical review, are imposed on the submission of data for research purposes.
• National legislation or practices for assessing compliance with the GDPR can sometimes prevent data-holding organisations from sharing data across national borders.
• Such differences can affect the project's ability to be implemented and where and how data can be analysed.

It is important to be aware of these types of national differences; good planning and preparation are essential for dealing with these challenges.

There are examples of scientific articles that highlight various challenges that Nordic projects may encounter, such as data access and analysis methods.