Data Release Policy

Background

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is the nation's principal health statistics agency. We are responsible for collecting accurate, relevant, and timely data. We focus on collecting, analyzing, and sharing information that is useful to a broad range of people, organizations, and government officials and agencies.

NCHS's mission and legislative mandate are built on the principle that data collected with public funds, by a public agency, or for a public agency are a "public good."

All NCHS data are collected under the authority of Section 306 of the Public Health Service Act. This section specifically discusses the timely release of data. It also mandates that data be made available as widely as possible or practicable.

The primary factors that determine when timely release happens are—

• Completion of requirements to protect the confidentiality of people who provided us the information
• Availability of resources needed to create public-use data files and data tables (tabulations)
• Issues with data quality, analysis, or processing that could limit the ability to make public-use data, tabulations, or both available

NCHS collaborators

NCHS works closely with many collaborators that fund part or all activities for some surveys conducted by NCHS. This funding is part of our reimbursable work program, authorized by Section 306(b)(4). These collaborators include other federal agencies, states, and private nonprofit organizations.

Relationships between NCHS and our collaborators provide benefit and support to both parties.

NCHS relies on our collaborators for funding and often expertise. Collaborators may assist NCHS by—

• Identifying survey content.
• Editing and processing survey results.
• Analyzing and interpretating the resulting data.

Collaborators rely on NCHS's expertise in developing and managing surveys and on our help in preparing for and conducting data analyses. Collaborators' work frequently builds on ongoing NCHS surveys and releases.

Public policy statement

NCHS adopted this public policy statement on April 24, 2000.

Release of public use data files

Public-use data files will be released as soon as they have been prepared and the necessary reviews and approvals have been obtained, including review by the NCHS Disclosure Review Board.

Depending on interest and expertise, NCHS may enlist the assistance of collaborators (including funding agencies) in the process of preparing data for public release, including editing and re-coding and on final file structure. To the extent that it is necessary to accomplish these steps, NCHS may provide a collaborator with data that are not yet released to the public. Any such release of files that are not yet ready for public release to a collaborator must be permissible under NCHS confidentiality policy and be consistent with NCHS legislative authority, informed consent, and submissions for human subjects reviews. Such releases are normally carried out under an agreement specifying how appropriate confidentiality protections are to be provided by the collaborator.

Special requests for data releases

NCHS does not "embargo" data that are otherwise ready for public release and does not provide collaborators with preferential early access to data files or tabulations that are otherwise ready for public release, nor provide preferential release of tabulations based on data files that have not been publicly released.

In cases where nonpublic data are made available to one user, it should be considered releasable to others who might request the same data, subject only to confidentiality provisions. Files or tabulations that might not be approved for public release due to the risk of disclosing confidential data may be made available in the NCHS Data Center (or, where consistent with NCHS confidentiality policy, through special use agreements) to ensure the widest possible access to the data. In a limited number of cases, such as for Departmental publications with lengthy publication lead times, tabulations may be made available in advance of a general data release.

Exceptions

Exceptions to this general policy will be rare and can be justified on a case-by-case basis. Requests should be made prior to the onset of data collection. They should be submitted to the NCHS Confidentiality Officer and will require the approval of the NCHS Director.