NISRA-led Research

The ADR-NI Administrative Research Unit (ARU) is responsible for carrying out government-led research on behalf of NI government departments.

It provides a government research function delivering a research programme anchored on the NI Programme for Government (PfG). The ARU team continuously engage with departmental policy leads to identify novel data linkage opportunities to take forward timely and policy-relevant research.

Published research

Date Project Theme
Aug 2024 Assessing equality pay gaps in Northern Ireland - gender Inequality and social inclusion
Feb 2024 Assessing equality pay gaps in Northern Ireland - disability Inequality and social inclusion
Jan 2023 Disability and employment Inequality and social inclusion
Nov 2022 Covid-19 mortality (Mar 2020 - Nov 2021) and equality Health and wellbeing
Jul 2022 Irish language - exploration of characteristics of those with Irish language skills and change in Irish language knowledge over time Inequality and social inclusion
Jul 2022 Ulster scots language - exploration of characteristics of those with Ulster scots language knowledge Inequality and social inclusion
Dec 2021 Covid-19 mortality (Mar - Sep 2020) and equality Health and wellbeing
Sep 2021 Mental health status of population in employment Health and wellbeing
Mar 2021 Alcohol specific deaths Health and wellbeing
Mar 2020 Drug related deaths Health and wellbeing

Upcoming research

Date Project Theme Description

Summer 2024

Mortality risk for ex-prisoners

Crime and justice

This proof-of-concept research is being done in collaboration with NISRA DoJ colleagues. It builds on a bespoke, novel data linkage between DoJ ex-prisoner data and General Registrar Office deaths data to to explore deaths of ex-prisoners with a particular focus on the period immediately following release.

Autumn/Winter 2024

Preventable deaths - exploration of deaths associated with drugs, alcohol and/or suicide

Health and wellbeing

This research seeks to explore the profile of deaths by suicide, drugs and/or alcohol; and, examine individual and household characteristic associations with these deaths with a particular focus on assessing occupations that may be at highest risk from suicide, drug and alcohol mortality.

From Spring 2025

Employment and health ourcomes for people with early onset compared to adult-acquired disabilities

Inequality and social inclusion

This research examines disability at three specific points in time (2001, 2011 and 2021). The study focuses on differences in employment and health outcomes with early onset (< 20 years) disabilities and those whith adult-acquired (>= 20 years) disabilities.

Additionally, the research examines health and employment outcomes for family member of people who experience disability either early in life (< 20 years) or later in adulthood (20 years+).

TBC

School size and educational outcomes

Children and young people

This research seeks to identify key post-primary educational outcomes and explore if/how they are impacted by school size.