An example of a register-based research process

The table below depicts the process of a study that began in August 2002. The process covers the period up until the manuscript was submitted for publication in August 2004.

Title of the study: "Effectiveness of antipsychotic treatments in a nationwide cohort of 2230 patients in community care after the first hospitalization due to schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder"

STAKES, the National Public Health Institute, the Social Insurance Institute and the University of Kuopio were represented in the research group.

Study schedule, August 2002 - August 2004

First version of the research plan

Consideration by the Research Ethics Committee of the National Public Health Institute

26.02.2003

A revised version of the research plan

17.03.2003

Consideration by the Research Ethics Committee of the National Public Health Institute, a positive opinion

24.03.2003

An application for permission to access data is submitted to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

27.03.03

The Ministry announces that the processing of the application is transferred to STAKES

31.03.2003

Processing of the application starts at STAKES

02.05.2003

STAKES Information, an opinion given by Hannu Rintanen on the application for permission

Early June 2003

Permission granted by STAKES (Registration No 7412/54/2003)

27.05.2003

The application for permission for access to data is forwarded to Statistics Finland

11.06.2003

Permission granted by Statistics Finland (TK-53-836-03)

26.06.2003

Agreeing on the disclosure of the data at STAKES in consultation with Simo Pelanteri (a data processing expert)

Early July 2003

Disclosure of the data at STAKES

Late July 2003

The data are received from Statistics Finland

Late August 2003

The data are received from the Social Insurance Institution

Late August 2003

Data processing starts

20.08.2003

A research group meeting

08.10.2003

A research group meeting

Late October 2003

First results

January 2004

First draft manuscript

August 2004

The manuscript is submitted for publication