The applications of Australian-coded ICD-10 and ICD-10-AM data in research: A scoping review of the literature

Background: Australia uses the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) for mortality coding and its Australian Modification, ICD-10-AM, for morbidity coding. The ICD underpins surveillance (population health, mortality), health planning and research (clinical, epidemiological and others). ICD-10-AM also supports activity-based funding, thereby propelling realignment of the foci of clinical coding and, potentially, coded data’s research utility. Objective: To conduct a scoping review of the literature exploring the use of ICD-10 and ICD-10-AM Australian-coded data in research. Research questions addressed herein: (1) What were the applications of ICD-10(-AM) Australian-coded data in published peer-reviewed research, 2012–2022? (2) What were the purposes of ICD-10(-AM) coded data within this context, as classified per a taxonomy of data use framework? Method: Following systematic Medline, Scopus and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature database searches, a scoping literature review was conducted using PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. References of a random 5% sample of within-scope articles were searched manually. Results were summarised using descriptive analyses. Results: Multi-stage screening of 2103 imported articles produced 636, including 25 from the references, for extraction and analysis; 54% were published 2019–2022; 50% within the largest five categories were published post-2019; 22% fell within the “Mental health and behavioural” category; 60.3% relied upon an ICD-10 modification. Articles were grouped by: research foci; relevant ICD chapter; themes per the taxonomy; purposes of the coded data. Observational study designs predominated: descriptive (50.6%) and cohort (34.6%). Conclusion: Researchers’ use of coded data is extensive, robust and growing. Increasing demand is foreshadowed for ICD-10(-AM) coded data, and HIM-Coders’ and Clinical Coders’ expert advice to medical researchers.