DataStat Confidentiality Policy

DataStat is committed to a policy of maintaining the confidentiality of respondent information and assuring the security of all sensitive data.

There are several aspects to the implementation of this policy. These aspects include:

• An organizational atmosphere of respect for the respondent and the ethics of public opinion research.
• Procedures and training to assure that these ethical principles are translated into the necessary practices and discipline.
• Physical security for sensitive materials.
• Computer and network security to protect database versions of these materials.
• Compliance with HIPAA regulations as well as laws related to respondent access and confidentiality.
• All data collected by DataStat is protected as confidential, and is never shared or sold for any purpose.

Personnel Policies and Practices

DataStat is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research and subscribes to the AAPOR Code of Ethics. This code requires us to protect the respondent from abuse or harm in any way and to protect the confidentiality of any data collected from the respondent. This includes the management of data to assure that no data are released that would allow the identification of any respondent, unless informed permission for this is obtained from the respondent.

All employees are required to agree to these principles and to indicate this agreement in the form of a signed confidentiality pledge. All research staff are required to take part in training that includes a section on professional conduct and the ethics of opinion research. This training covers confidentiality at the level of individual respondent data as well as confidentiality of client research purposes. They review the Confidentiality Pledge and must sign it before they are allowed to begin work.