Evaluation of HIV case surveillance through the use of non-name unique identifiers--Maryland and Texas, 1994-1996.

Notifiable disease reporting laws or regulations in states and territories require reporting of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases, including patient and physician names, to state or local health authorities. As of January 1, 1998, a total of 31 states were conducting name-based human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) case surveillance by using the same methods as surveillance for AIDS. However, because of concerns about name-based HIV surveillance, Maryland and Texas implemented HIV surveillance using non-name unique identifiers (UI). This report summarizes a 3-year collaboration by CDC and these states to evaluate UI surveillance for HIV infection; the findings indicate some limitations to the use of a Social Security number-based UI for HIV surveillance.