[Availability of open data related to COVID-19 in the web portals of the Spanish regions and the Ministry of Health.]

Abstract

Objective: Having certain open data means that this data is accessible and available to everyone, without legal or technical restrictions. The public sector produces a wide variety of information (social, economic, health, statistical) that is attractive, complete and reliable, coming directly from official sources. The aim of this study was to show the open data related to COVID-19 published by the regions of Spain and the Ministry of Health, and compare these data.

Methods: Each of the open portals was accessed and an observation of the published data was made, analyzing since when they were published and their periodicity in the update. The Tim Berners-Lee tool was used to classify the degree of reuse of the data. Regarding the statistical treatment, a frequency analysis was carried out, to analyze which data are given in a greater number of times.

Results: 15 regions publish open data related to COVID-19, as well as the Ministry of Health. The contents shown in the open data portals varied from one autonomous community to another, but the regions provided data confirmed by PCR. The data collection start date and the updating of the data varied.

Conclusions: There is an enormous diversity among de regions in terms of the publication of COVID data, in relation to indicators, dates. It shows a great existence of data and in reusable format, but you have to go to many sources to obtain information of the epidemiological situation at a national level.