Table 2. Probabilistic match weights.
| Linkage variable | HES field name | Match weight | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agreement | Disagreement | ||
| Sex | sexbaby | 0.95 | -3.99 |
| GP practice code | gpprac | 11.68 | -3.07 |
| Maternal age | matage | 4.38 | -7.40 |
| Birthweight | birweit | 8.18 | -8.00 |
| Gestational age* | bestat* | 2.80 | -1.74 |
| Birth order | Birordr | 0.04 | -7.29 |
| Estimated delivery date+ | dobbaby+ | 8.48 | -10.68 |
| First antenatal assessment date+ | anasdate+ | 8.37 | -3.18 |
| Gestation period in weeks at first antenatal assessment | anagest | 3.11 | -2.09 |
| Delivery method | delmeth | 1.33 | -4.21 |
| Delivery place (actual) | delplac | 0.94 | -1.38 |
| Delivery place (intended)* | delinten* | 5.51 | -3.50 |
| Method to induce labour | delonset | 1.12 | -3.20 |
| Anaesthetic given during labour or delivery | delprean | 1.77 | -4.99 |
| Anaesthetic given post labour or delivery | delposan | 1.11 | -9.22 |
| Status of person conducting delivery* | delstat* | 4.40 | -4.77 |
| Birth status | birstat | 0.14 | -6.10 |
| Resuscitation method | biresus | 0.68 | -8.55 |
| Ethnic category* | ethnos* | 4.26 | -1.01 |
| Postcode district of patient residence* | postdist* | 10.47 | -5.32 |
| Date episode started+ | epistart+ | 7.79 | -1.89 |
| Date episode ended+ | epiend+ | 8.29 | -0.79 |
*Average of frequency-based weights presented.
+Weights presented for date differences of 0 (same day) or 7 days apart.