Despite its benefits, data linkage in epidemiology faces several challenges:
Privacy Concerns: Linking personal data from different sources raises privacy and confidentiality issues. Researchers must ensure compliance with data protection regulations. Data Quality: Inconsistent or incomplete data can lead to inaccurate linkages and biased results. Technical Complexity: The process requires sophisticated algorithms and substantial computational resources. Legal and Ethical Issues: Navigating the legal and ethical landscape for accessing and using multiple data sources can be complicated.
