文章基本信息

标题：Protecting Privacy of Shared Epidemiologic Data without Compromising Analysis Potential
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作者：John Cologne ; Eric J. Grant ; Eiji Nakashima 等
期刊名称：Journal of Environmental and Public Health
印刷版ISSN：1687-9805
电子版ISSN：1687-9813
出版年度：2012
卷号：2012
DOI：10.1155/2012/421989
出版社：Hindawi Publishing Corporation
摘要：Objective. Ensuring privacy of research subjects when epidemiologic data are shared with outside collaborators involves masking (modifying) the data, but overmasking can compromise utility (analysis potential). Methods of statistical disclosure control for protecting privacy may be impractical for individual researchers involved in small-scale collaborations. Methods. We investigated a simple approach based on measures of disclosure risk and analytical utility that are straightforward for epidemiologic researchers to derive. The method is illustrated using data from the Japanese Atomic-bomb Survivor population. Results. Masking by modest rounding did not adequately enhance security but rounding to remove several digits of relative accuracy effectively reduced the risk of identification without substantially reducing utility. Grouping or adding random noise led to noticeable bias. Conclusions. When sharing epidemiologic data, it is recommended that masking be performed using rounding. Specific treatment should be determined separately in individual situations after consideration of the disclosure risks and analysis needs.