Data Use Register

Find out more about projects that have been approved through the Researcher Access Service and the public benefit they deliver.

About the Data Use Register

In the interest of transparency, Research Data Scotland (RDS) publishes the public good statements of each project approved through the Researcher Access Service (RAS) on our Data Use Register. This register is updated on a regular basis as new projects are approved by the RAS Approval Panel.

Public good, also known as public benefit, means that there should be some ‘net good’ accruing to the public; it has both a benefit aspect and a public aspect. Head to our research for public good page to learn more about public benefit. Please also note that each statement of public good has been written by the project's Principal Investigator(s).

Data for all projects listed below has been provided through the Scottish National Safe Haven in line with the Five Safes Framework. Visit our page on research data security to read more about how public sector data is kept secure.

Data Use Register

Click on the project titles below to learn more about each project approved through the Researcher Access Service and its intended public benefit.

Project title	Project reference	Approval date	Number of datasets	Lead applicant org name	Funder	Data Access Period
Predicting the risk of opioid use disorder in non-cancer chronic pain: Understanding patterns, behaviours and psychosocial determinants	RAS-24-24	29 October 2025	7	Glasgow Caledonian University	Academy of Medical Sciences	17 February 2026 to 16 February 2029
Perinatal self-harm: using data linkage to understand risk factors for self-harm admissions of women in Scotland during pregnancy and post-natal period	RAS-24-3	8 October 2025	5	University of Glasgow	RDS	3 December 2025 to 2 December 2027
Using linked national datasets to explore patterns of prescribing of lipid lowering therapies across Scotland	RAS-25-206	28 July 2025	3	Scottish Government	Administrative Data Research Centre	26 August 2025 to 25 August 2028
A population-base study of antidepressants utilisation, adherence, and persistence in Scotland (2015-2023)	RAS-24-94	15 July 2025	2	University of Strathclyde	University of Strathclyde	8 October 2025 to 7 October 2027
Health Inequalities and risk factors in the early years	RAS-25-201	9 July 2025	8	Scottish Government	Administrative Data Research Centre	10 October 2025 to 9 October 2027
Is overdiagnosis of melanoma occurring in Scotland?	RAS-24-115	2 May 2025	2	NHS Lothian	NHS National Services Scotland	Awaiting data access
STARLING study: Scotland-wide Treatment & Outcomes in Atrial Fibrillation: Real-world data LINkaGe study	RAS-24-64	2 April 2025	3	University of Aberdeen	Tenovus Scotland	16 July 2025 to 31 July 2027
Assessment of polypharmacy in Scotland: a population-based retrospective study	RAS-24-98	30 January 2025	7	University of Strathclyde	University of Strathclyde	12 March 2025 to 11 March 2028
Risk for Serious mental illness following inpatient CAMHS admission (RiSC) study	RAS-24-1	13 September 2024	7	University of Edinburgh	RDS	24 October 2024 to 23 October 2026
Antidepressant exposure, response and resistance in Severe Mental Illness – patterns and consequences	RAS-24-2	29 May 2024	6	University of Edinburgh	RDS	2 July 2024 to 31 May 2026