Week 10 Topic Discussion

[Saranath]

Data such as name, date of birth, citizenID, Hospital ID, phone number are considered as identifiable data. However, sometimes even there is no identifiable data provided. With a combination of non-identifiable data such as age, sex, occupation…., people can probably identify you.
Let try thinking about the combination of non-identifiable data that actually make people know that this would be you.
Example: for myself, only the combination of these information would be able to identify me.

Sex: female
Age: 40-45 years
Education: MD, PhD.
Occupation: Associated Professor
Workplace: Department of Tropical Hygiene, Faculty of Tropical Medicine

[Ameen]

I think any study which has very specific participants or in small numbers must aware of the issue. For example, a study on the mental health of health professions in healthcare settings in levels/sizes which study areas and type of professions are stratified. Some study area may have only a healthcare provider and have only one staff for some specific health profession which is because of rare position or in a shortage situation such as a doctor, a medical/radiological technologist. Even the result shows only in the level of area and type of profession. The result may be identified directly to the participant because there is only a doctor in that whole area. Or any study which has small numbers of participants such as study using in-depth interview which normally recruits only a few subjects or studies in rare disease patients. When the report is made, the reader can immediately identify the subject based on the narrative written to explains the result and conclusion.

[tullaya.sita]

I do agree with Ameen, on the very specific participants in a small study. The combination of non-identifiable data can identified participants. such as the following data might be identified me.

Sex: female
Occupation: Doctor
study program: BHI, master degree
start study year: 2019

[Saranath]

Yes! So, we must be aware of indirect identifiable data. Particularly, when we scope down the population into a small size.

[Pacharapol Withayasakpunt]

Yes, and safeguarding is quite difficult too; unless you prevent authorized usage in the first place. Also, with data mining / AI techniques, more identifiable information are more likely to be found. Think reverse engineering…

– Year of birth: 1990
– Specialty: Primary care doctor
– Workplace: a district hospital in Nakorn Pathom Province, Thailand

And, the problem exacerbates if sample size is smaller.

[imktd8]

I agree with you all. In case of small sampling group, the combination of non-identifiable data can identified participants, for example;
Gender: Female
Blood Group: B
Age: 36
Year of Birth: 1984
Province: Chonburi
Occupation: SAP Consultant
Education: Master Degree

PS. In my opinion, to user non-identifiable can protected health information. For example, age, gender, province, diagnosis. These decrease issue in privacy information in healthcare because they can not determine the patient.

[imktd8]

I agree with you all. In case of small sampling group, the combination of non-identifiable data can identified participants, for example;
Gender: Female
Blood Group: B
Age: 36
Year of Birth: 1984
Province: Chonburi
Occupation: SAP Consultant
Education: Master Degree
Remark: In my opinion, to user non-identifiable can protected health information. For example, age, gender, province, diagnosis. These decrease issue in privacy information in healthcare because they can not determine the patient.

[imktd8]

I agree with you all. In case of a small sampling group, the combination of non-identifiable data can identified participants, for example;
Gender: Female
Blood Group: B
Age: 36
Year of Birth: 1984
Province: Chonburi
Occupation: SAP Consultant
Education: Master Degree

Remark. In my opinion, using non-identifiable can protected health information. For example, age, gender, province, diagnosis. These decrease issues in privacy information in healthcare because they can not determine the patient.

[Author]

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