13. Definitions

All definitions can also be found in the knowledge base Glossary and Acronyms page.

Aggregate – formed or calculated by the combination of many separate units or items (Oxford Dictionary).

De-identified – generally defined under the HIPAA Privacy Rule (45 CFR section 164.514) as information (1) that does not identify the individual and (2) for which there is no reasonable basis to believe the individual can be identified from it.

Denominator – the portion of the overall population being referenced in a table or a figure representing the total population in terms of which statistical values are expressed (Oxford Dictionary).

Numerator – the number of specific cases as identified by the variable from a given population or the number above the line in a common fraction showing how many of the parts indicated by the denominator are taken (Oxford Dictionary).

Protected Health Information – information which relates to the individual’s past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition, the provision of health care to the individual, or the past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to the individual, and that identifies the individual, or for which there is a reasonable basis to believe can be used to identify the individual (HIPAA, 45 CFR section 160.103).

Personal Information – includes information that is maintained by an agency which identifies or describes an individual, including his or her name, social security number, physical description, home address, home telephone number, education, financial matters, email address and medical or employment history. It includes statements made by, or attributed to, the individual (California Civil Code section 1798.3).

Publishable State Data – Data is Publishable State Data if it meets one of the following criteria: (1) data that are public by law such as via the PRA or (2) the data are not prohibited from being released by any laws, regulations, policies, rules, rights, court order, or any other restriction. Data shall not be released if it is highly restricted due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), state or federal law (such data are defined as Level 3 later in this handbook.)

Re-Identified – matching de-identified, or anonymized, personal information back to the individual.