Cell Suppression

Under certain circumstances, it is considered necessary to withhold or suppress data in certain cells in a published statistical table. This is often done when particular estimates are statistically unreliable or when the information contained could result in public disclosure of confidential identifiable information. Suppression for reasons of statistical reliability involves consideration of sampling error as well as the number of cases upon which the cell estimate is based. Suppression to avoid the disclosure of confidential information in tabular presentations involves many additional considerations.

Cell suppression may involve primary suppression, in which the contents of a sensitive cell are withheld; or if the value for that cell can be derived from other cells in the same or other tables, secondary or complementary suppression. In the latter ...