title: Data suppression strategies used during surveillance data release by sexually transmitted disease prevention programs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates the data suppression or statistical disclosure limitation (DL) practices used during surveillance data Release by sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We classified DL strategies from a Web-based data query system that collected data from state health departments. We tested mean STD incidence Rates in states that used data suppression versus those that did not.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five types of DL were identified: no suppression (n = 15), numerator-only (n = 10), denominator-only (n = 6), demographic-only (n = 7), and mixed strategies (n = 12). Twenty-two states (62%) used data suppression strategies differently through time. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis Rates were higher in the nonsuppression states than those of the suppression states (P = .03, P = .008, P = .009, Respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cell suppression is the preferred method of DL used by STD prevention programs. More Research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of this strategy as a means of balancing the public health utility of the data tables and the protection of confidentiality.
authors.affiliation: Office of Epidemiology, Division of Disease Prevention, Virginia Department of Health, 109 Governor's St, Suite 321, Richmond, VA 23219, USA. chris@vhi.org
authors.forename: Philip Christopher
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Delcher
authors.forename: Kristine T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Jeffrey Allen
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Stover
authors.forename: Lori Marie
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Samuel L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Groseclose
authors.forename: Diane M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Rajnik
mesh_terms: D003219:Confidentiality; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D016208:Databases, Factual; D030881:Disclosure; D015340:Epidemiologic Research Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011634:Public Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012042:Registries; D015231:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology