Enhancing antimicrobial resistance surveillance and research: a systematic scoping review on the possibilities, yield and methods of data linkage studies

This systematic scoping review aims to summarize studies linking antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data and evaluate their impact on surveillance and research. Data linkage is defined as linking records from at least two independent data sources on AMR determinants or one AMR determinant and one or more general population characteristics. A systematic literature search was conducted on Embase.com, PubMed, and Scopus to identify AMR data linkage studies. The majority of studies (43/48) had added value and provided recommendations for clinical practice and future policies. However, limitations were identified, such as ecological designs prone to ecological fallacy and unobserved confounding.