Documentation

Usage Guidelines

Access Requirements

  • Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval is required before any data access can be granted
  • A signed Data Use Agreement (DUA) must be completed and approved by SALUS Research
  • All users must complete HIPAA compliance training and database security certification
  • Annual renewal of certifications and agreements required

Data Security

  • All data is encrypted at rest using AES-256 encryption
  • Access logs are maintained for all database queries and data exports
  • Multi-factor authentication required for database access
  • IP address restrictions and access controls implemented
  • Regular security audits and penetration testing performed
  • Data cannot be downloaded or stored on local machines
  • All analysis must be performed in secure computing environment

Data Access Process

  1. Submit IRB protocol and approval letter
  2. Complete HIPAA and security training modules
  3. Sign and submit Data Use Agreement
  4. Request database credentials
  5. Complete user orientation
  6. Receive access approval

Usage Requirements

  • All publications must acknowledge SALUS Research Database
  • Results must be reviewed for privacy before publication
  • No attempts to re-identify subjects
  • Report any security concerns immediately
  • Maintain data access logs
  • Follow data retention policies

Analysis Guidelines

  • Use approved statistical software only
  • Document all data cleaning steps
  • Save analysis code and workflows
  • Follow standardized variable definitions
  • Validate results with sample datasets first
  • Consider statistical power requirements

Support Resources

Contact us for:

  • Technical support and troubleshooting
  • Access requests and credential issues
  • Data questions and clarification
  • Variable definitions and coding
  • Analysis consultation
  • Security incident reporting
  • Training registration

Compliance Monitoring

  • Regular audits of user activity
  • Annual compliance reviews
  • Update requirements as needed
  • Violation reporting process
  • Access suspension procedures