SCHS: Conditions for Data Use

Conditions for Data Use

We encourage all visitors--community organizations, students, researchers, and citizens interested in learning more about the health status of Louisianans-to browse our site and acquaint themselves with the health information contained within. We remind you, however, that vital event information is presented in table form to prevent the identification of individual persons. We ask, therefore, that visitors using data obtained from our site to agree to the following conditions.

• Confidentiality: The user will hold any identifying information obtained from this site in the strictest  of confidence and will protect the information against unwarranted disclosure.

• Prohibition Against Identification of Individuals: Vital event data accessed through this site will be used in the aggregate, and the user will make no attempt to identify individuals. Should any intentional or unintentional identification of individuals result from the use of these data, either alone or in combination with data from other sources, the user will notify the State Center for Health Statistics immediately, and the identifying information will be destroyed in all of its forms.

• Prohibition Against Follow-Up: The user will not perform any individual or family follow-up, and no data will be published or disclosed from which an individual can be identified except upon written authorization of the Vital Records Data Review Panel.

• Liability for Misuse of Data: The State of Louisiana has taken all reasonable precautions to protect the identities of individuals registered in the state's vital events databases. Unauthorized or illegal use of data accessed at this site is the responsibility of the user, who accepts all liability for the use, disclosure, or revealing in any way, of information that can be used to identify any individual person. The State of Louisiana, the original data provider, and their employees and agents are exempt from damages, litigation, liability, claims, and any expenses, including legal fees incident thereto, resulting from such disclosure, or revealing of said data.

• Legal consequences: Unauthorized disclosure of vital records information violates LSA R.S. 40:32 et. seq., and the penalty for such violation as provided in LSA R.S. 40:61 (B)(3) is a fine of up to one thousand dollars or imprisonment for up to one year, or both.

For further information concerning Conditions of Data Use, please contact the State Center for Health Statistics.

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