World Allergy Organization Journal (Jul 2018)
Geolocation with respect to personal privacy for the Allergy Diary app - a MASK study
- D. Samreth,
- S. Arnavielhe,
- F. Ingenrieth,
- A. Bedbrook,
- G. L. Onorato,
- R. Murray,
- R. Almeida,
- M. A. Mizani,
- J. Fonseca,
- E. Costa,
- J. Malva,
- M. Morais-Almeida,
- A. M. Pereira,
- A. Todo-Bom,
- E. Menditto,
- C. Stellato,
- M. T. Ventura,
- D. Larenas-Linnemann,
- J-M. Fuentes-Pérez,
- Y. R. Huerta-Villalobos,
- A. A. Cruz,
- R. Stelmach,
- J. da Silva,
- R. Emuzyte,
- V. Kvedariene,
- A. Valiulis,
- I. Annesi-Maesano,
- I. Bosse,
- P. Demoly,
- P. Devillier,
- J. F. Fontaine,
- P. Kuna,
- B. Samolinski,
- L. Klimek,
- R. Mösges,
- O. Pfaar,
- S. Shamai,
- M. Bewick,
- D. Ryan,
- A. Sheikh,
- J. M. Anto,
- V. Cardona,
- J. Mullol,
- A. Valero,
- N. H. Chavannes,
- W. J. Fokkens,
- S. Reitsma,
- R. E. Roller-Wirnsberger,
- P. V. Tomazic,
- T. Haahtela,
- S. Toppila-Salmi,
- E. Valovirta,
- M. Makris,
- N. G. Papadopoulos,
- E. P. Prokopakis,
- F. Psarros,
- B. Gemicioğlu,
- A. Yorgancioglu,
- C. Bindslev-Jensen,
- E. Eller,
- I. Kull,
- M. Wickman,
- C. Bachert,
- P. W. Hellings,
- B. Pugin,
- S. Bosnic-Anticevich,
- R. E. O’Hehir,
- V. Kolek,
- M. Sova,
- K. Wehner,
- G. De Vries,
- M. van Eerd,
- D. Laune,
- J. Wittmann,
- J. Bousquet,
- P. Poncelet,
- the MASK study group
Affiliations
- D. Samreth
- Kyomed
- S. Arnavielhe
- Kyomed
- F. Ingenrieth
- Selbstregulierung Informationswirtschaft eV
- A. Bedbrook
- MACVIA-France, Fondation partenariale FMC VIA-LR
- G. L. Onorato
- MACVIA-France, Fondation partenariale FMC VIA-LR
- R. Murray
- MedScript Ltd
- R. Almeida
- Center for Health Technology and Services Research- CINTESIS, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto; and Medina, Lda
- M. A. Mizani
- Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research, Centre of Medical Informatics, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, The University of Edinburgh
- J. Fonseca
- Center for Health Technology and Services Research- CINTESIS, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto; and Medina, Lda
- E. Costa
- UCIBIO, REQUINTE, Faculty of Pharmacy and Competence Center on Active and Healthy Ageing of University of Porto (Porto4Ageing)
- J. Malva
- Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences (IBILI), Faculty of Medicine, Ageing@Coimbra EIP-AHA Reference Site, University of Coimbra
- M. Morais-Almeida
- Allergy Center, CUF Descobertas Hospital
- A. M. Pereira
- Allergy Unit, CUF-Porto Hospital and Institute; Center for Research in Health Technologies and information systems CINTESIS, Universidade do Porto
- A. Todo-Bom
- Imunoalergologia Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Coimbra and Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra
- E. Menditto
- CIRFF, Federico II University
- C. Stellato
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno
- M. T. Ventura
- Unit of Geriatric Immunoallergology, University of Bari Medical School
- D. Larenas-Linnemann
- Center of Excellence in Asthma and Allergy, Hospital Médica Sur
- J-M. Fuentes-Pérez
- Y. R. Huerta-Villalobos
- A. A. Cruz
- ProAR – Nucleo de Excelencia em Asma, Brasil and WHO GARD Planning Group, Federal University of Bahia
- R. Stelmach
- Pulmonary Division, Heart Institute (InCor), Hospital da Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo
- J. da Silva
- Department of Internal Medicine and Allergy Clinic of Professor Polydoro Ernani de São Thiago University Hospital, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC)
- R. Emuzyte
- Clinic of Children’s Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University
- V. Kvedariene
- Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University
- A. Valiulis
- Clinic of Children’s Diseases, and Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, Vilnius University Institute of Clinical Medicine
- I. Annesi-Maesano
- Epidemiology of Allergic and Respiratory Diseases, Department Institute Pierre Louis of Epidemiology and Public Health, Medical School Saint Antoine, INSERM and Sorbonne Université
- I. Bosse
- Allergist
- P. Demoly
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, Montpellier University Hospital
- P. Devillier
- UPRES EA220, Pôle des Maladies des Voies Respiratoires, Hôpital Foch, Université Paris-Saclay
- J. F. Fontaine
- Allergist
- P. Kuna
- Division of Internal Medicine, Asthma and Allergy, Barlicki University Hospital, Medical University of Lodz
- B. Samolinski
- Samolinski. Department of Prevention of Envinronmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw
- L. Klimek
- Center for Rhinology and Allergology
- R. Mösges
- Institute of Medical Statistics, and Computational Biology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne
- O. Pfaar
- Center for Rhinology and Allergology
- S. Shamai
- Institute of Medical Statistics, and Computational Biology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne
- M. Bewick
- iQ4U Consultants Ltd
- D. Ryan
- Woodbrook Medical Centre
- A. Sheikh
- Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research, Centre of Medical Informatics, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, The University of Edinburgh
- J. M. Anto
- ISGlobAL, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL)
- V. Cardona
- S Allergologia, S Medicina Interna, Hospital Vall d’Hebron
- J. Mullol
- Rhinology Unit & Smell Clinic, ENT Department, Hospital Clínic; Clinical & Experimental Respiratory Immunoallergy, IDIBAPS, CIBERES, University of Barcelona
- A. Valero
- Pneumology and Allergy Department CIBERES and Clinical & Experimental Respiratory Immunoallergy, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona
- N. H. Chavannes
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center
- W. J. Fokkens
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Academic Medical Centre
- S. Reitsma
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Academic Medical Centre
- R. E. Roller-Wirnsberger
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz
- P. V. Tomazic
- Department of ENT, Medical University of Graz
- T. Haahtela
- Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital
- S. Toppila-Salmi
- Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital
- E. Valovirta
- Department of Lung Diseases and Clinical Immunology, University of Turku and Terveystalo allergy clinic
- M. Makris
- Division of Infection, Immunity 1 Respiratory Medicine, University of Manchester
- N. G. Papadopoulos
- Division of Infection, Immunity 1 Respiratory Medicine, University of Manchester
- E. P. Prokopakis
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology University of Crete School of Medicine
- F. Psarros
- Allergy Department Athens Naval Hospital
- B. Gemicioğlu
- Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine
- A. Yorgancioglu
- Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Turkey and GARD Executive Committee, Celal Bayar University
- C. Bindslev-Jensen
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy Centre, Odense Research Center for Anaphylaxis (ORCA), Odense University Hospital
- E. Eller
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy Centre, Odense Research Center for Anaphylaxis (ORCA), Odense University Hospital
- I. Kull
- Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet
- M. Wickman
- Centre for Clinical Research Sörmland, Uppsala University
- C. Bachert
- Upper Airways Research Laboratory, ENT Department, Ghent University Hospital
- P. W. Hellings
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Univ Hospitals Leuven
- B. Pugin
- Euforea
- S. Bosnic-Anticevich
- Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney and Sydney Local Health District
- R. E. O’Hehir
- Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Alfred Hospital and Central Clinical School, Monash University
- V. Kolek
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc
- M. Sova
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc
- K. Wehner
- Fachbereich Biologie, Technische Universität
- G. De Vries
- Peercode BV
- M. van Eerd
- Peercode BV
- D. Laune
- Kyomed
- J. Wittmann
- Selbstregulierung Informationswirtschaft eV
- J. Bousquet
- Euforea
- P. Poncelet
- LIRMM
- the MASK study group
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s40413-018-0194-3
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 11,
no. 1
pp. 1 – 13
Abstract
Abstract Background Collecting data on the localization of users is a key issue for the MASK (Mobile Airways Sentinel networK: the Allergy Diary) App. Data anonymization is a method of sanitization for privacy. The European Commission’s Article 29 Working Party stated that geolocation information is personal data. To assess geolocation using the MASK method and to compare two anonymization methods in the MASK database to find an optimal privacy method. Methods Geolocation was studied for all people who used the Allergy Diary App from December 2015 to November 2017 and who reported medical outcomes. Two different anonymization methods have been evaluated: Noise addition (randomization) and k-anonymity (generalization). Results Ninety-three thousand one hundred and sixteen days of VAS were collected from 8535 users and 54,500 (58.5%) were geolocalized, corresponding to 5428 users. Noise addition was found to be less accurate than k-anonymity using MASK data to protect the users’ life privacy. Discussion k-anonymity is an acceptable method for the anonymization of MASK data and results can be used for other databases.
Keywords