{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,27]],"date-time":"2026-09-27T20:12:06Z","timestamp":1790539926939,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":14,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2008,11,4]],"date-time":"2008-11-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1225756800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":3,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Birth Defects Research"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2008,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:p><jats:bold>BACKGROUND:<\/jats:bold>As part of the surveillance program to monitor the occurrence of birth defects in the metropolitan Atlanta area, we developed a record linkage software tool that provides latitude in the choice of linkage parameters, allows for efficient and accurate linkages, and enables objective assessments of the quality of the linked data.<jats:bold>METHODS:<\/jats:bold>We developed and implemented a Java\u2010based fine\u2010grained probabilistic record integration and linkage tool (FRIL) that incorporates a rich collection of record distance metrics, search methods, and analysis tools. Along its workflow, FRIL provides a rich set of user\u2010tunable parameters augmented with graphic visualization tools to assist users in understanding the effects of parameter choices. We used this software tool to link data from vital records (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>= 1.25 million) with birth defects surveillance records (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>= 12,700) from the metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program (MACDP) for the birth years 1967\u20132006.<jats:bold>RESULTS:<\/jats:bold>Compared with the data linkage performed by conventional algorithms, the data linkage of birth certificates with birth defect records in MACDP using FRIL was more efficient. The linkage based on FRIL was also accurate, showing 99% precision and 95% recall. Based on positive user feedback, new features continue to be developed, and the tool is being adopted in several other data linkage projects in MACDP.<jats:bold>CONCLUSIONS:<\/jats:bold>A software tool that allows significant user interaction and control, such as FRIL, can provide accurate data linkages for birth defect surveillance programs and allows an objective assessment of the quality of linked data. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2008. \u00a9 2008 Wiley\u2010Liss, Inc.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/bdra.20521","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2008,11,5]],"date-time":"2008-11-05T14:49:19Z","timestamp":1225896559000},"page":"822-829","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":31,"title":["Fine\u2010grained record integration and linkage tool"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"82","author":[{"given":"Pawel","family":"Jurczyk","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"James J.","family":"Lu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Li","family":"Xiong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Janet D.","family":"Cragan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Adolfo","family":"Correa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2008,11,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_6_2_1","unstructured":"CampbellKM.2005. 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U.S. Bureau of the Census Research Report. Available athttp:\/\/www.census.gov\/srd\/papers\/pdf\/rr97\u20102.pdf."},{"key":"e_1_2_6_12_1","unstructured":"RistadES YianilosPN.1996. Learning string edit distance. Technical Report CS\u2010TR\u2010532\u201396 Princeton University Department of Computer Science. Available at:http:\/\/www.cs.princeton.edu\/research\/techreps\/TR\u2010532\u201096."},{"key":"e_1_2_6_13_1","unstructured":"ThoburnKK GuD RawsonT.2007. Fundamentals of linking public health datasets. Link Plus: probabilistic record linkage software. Probabilistic Linkage Webinar 2 March 30. Available at:http:\/\/nahdo.org\/cs\/media\/p\/182.aspx."},{"key":"e_1_2_6_14_1","unstructured":"WinklerW.2006. Overview of record linkage and current research directions. U.S. Bureau of the Census Technical Report. Available at:http:\/\/www.census.gov\/srd\/papers\/pdf\/rrs2006\u201002.pdf."},{"key":"e_1_2_6_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/bdra.20433"}],"container-title":["Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/api.wiley.com\/onlinelibrary\/tdm\/v1\/articles\/10.1002%2Fbdra.20521","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/bdra.20521","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,2]],"date-time":"2025-02-02T14:17:28Z","timestamp":1738505848000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/bdra.20521"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2008,11]]},"references-count":14,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2008,11]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1002\/bdra.20521"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/bdra.20521","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["1542-0752","1542-0760"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1542-0752","type":"print"},{"value":"1542-0760","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2008,11]]}}}