A sensitive survey is one that deals with sensitive or highly personal aspects of the subjects behavior, life experiences or attitudes. Examples include chemical substance abuse, sexual activity or attitudes, sexual abuse, criminal behavior, sensitive demographic data, detailed health history, etc. The principal determination of sensitivity is whether or not the survey research presents a potential risk to the subject in terms of possible precipitation of a negative emotional reaction. An additional risk consideration is, of course, whether or not there is risk associated with a breach of confidentiality should one occur. With respect to potential psychological risk associated with a survey, the presence or absence of subject identifiers is not necessarily a consideration since the risk may be primarily associated with the sensitive nature of the survey as opposed to being dependent upon confidentiality.
Subject identifiers do, however, become a factor when confidentiality is an issue.
When children are involved as subjects in research using survey or interview procedures, the research is not exempt. When children are involved as subjects in research using observation techniques, the research is not exempt if the investigator participates in the activities being observed. Observation research involving sensitive aspects of a subject's behavior is not exempt. 4 Research involving the collection or study of existing data, documents, records, pathological specimens, or diagnostic specimens, if these sources are publicly available or if the information is recorded by the investigator in such a manner that subjects cannot be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects.