Katie Harron

Professor Harron's research falls into two main areas.

Her methodological research focuses on the development of statistical methods for data linkage, and particularly for evaluating the quality of linkage. Her research develops methods to exploit the rich data that are collected about populations as we interact with services throughout our lives.

Prof. Harron leads the ECHILD Research Database which links data from health, education and children's social care services for all children in England. This work facilitates the wider use of population-based administrative and electronic data sources for epidemiological research, to support clinical trials, and to inform policy.

Her applied research focuses on exploiting existing data sources to improve services for mothers and families, and particularly vulnerable families. Her aim is to improve our understanding of the health of individuals from birth to young adulthood. Her current research projects are using national linked data from health, education and social care to evaluate and explore variation in Health Visiting across England, and to understand the impacts of Special Educational Needs provision on child health.

Prof. Harron's work involves collaborations with a number of key stakeholders for national data, including the Office for National Statistics, NHS England, and the Department for Education. She is a BMJ Statistical Editor and a Royal Statistical Society Council member.