OBJECTIVE: The availability of epidemiological, clinical and administrative databases in digital format, in addition to the development of record linkage techniques (RL) which enable researchers to link them together, have helped to consolidate the use of secondary data in health research and evaluation in recent decades. In this article we present a discussion of RL techniques, addressing methodological and ethical aspects as well as their application in building population records. Finally, we consider the challenges for research based on the use of RL techniques in Brazil, due to the adoption of a new legal framework for personal data protection. In conclusion, we emphasize the need to develop a legal and operational framework as a foundation for activities involving record linkage in our country, whether it be for research or managerial purposes.
Medical Record Linkage; Databases as Topic; Privacy
