Design-Based Estimation with Record-Linked Administrative Files and a Clerical Review Sample

This article looks at the estimation of an association parameter between two variables in a finite population, when the variables are separately recorded in two population registers that are also imperfectly linked. The main problem is the occurrence of linkage errors that include bad links and missing links. A methodology is proposed when clerical-reviews may reliably determine the match status of a record-pair, for example using names, demographic and address information. It features clerical-reviews on a probability sample of pairs and regression estimators that are assisted by a statistical model of comparison outcomes in a pair. Like other regression estimators, this estimator is design-consistent regardless of the model validity. It is also more efficient when the model holds.