encode hierarchical classification codes

[hardbyte]

In Encoding hierarchical classification codes for Privacy-preserving Record Linkage using Bloom filters Rainer Schnell and Christian Borgs introduce encoding Hierarchical classification codes into bloom filters:

Hierarchical classification codes are widely used in many scientific fields. Such codes might reveal sensitive personal information, for example medical conditions or occupations. This paper introduces a new encoding technique for encrypting sensitive codes, which preserves the hierarchical similarity of the codes. The encoding was developed for the use of hierarchical codes in Privacy-preserving Record Linkage (PPRL). The technique is demonstrated with real-world survey data containing occupational codes (ISCO codes). After describing the construction and its similarity preserving properties, Hierarchy Preserving Bloom Filters (HPBF) are compared with positional q-grams and standard Bloom filters in a PPRL context. The method presented here is similarity preserving for hierarchies, privacy-preserving and will increase linkage quality when used in Bloom filter-based PPRL.

schnell2019dina.pdf

This issue is to consider implementing such encoding in clkhash