CDC revises DPRP data elements and upload rules; adds ZIP code, MENA and ETHRACEINFO fields and a two-file upload option
March 30, 2026 | National Prevention Information Network (NPIN), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Executive, Federal
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The CDC outlined a suite of data-element and upload-process changes to the Diabetes Prevention Recognition Program during a webinar, including new required fields, renamed variables, and improved upload and validation features intended to reduce submission errors.
Key data-element changes: the presenter said "the first new variable is participant zip code," required for all participants so CDC can identify areas lacking program access. A new MENA (Middle Eastern or North African) variable uses coding consistent with other race variables. ETHRACEINFO was introduced as a free-text field (up to 100 characters) to capture additional details about ethnicity, race, country of origin or ancestry; the presenter said entries "will not be validated for spelling or grammar" and organizations should paste responses directly into the CSV and enter "NA," "Did not reply," or a similar indicator if a participant declines to answer.
The presenter described a new six-part disability question intended to identify enrollment gaps: each sub-item uses 1="yes", 2="no", or 9="chose not to respond" and organizations are required to ask the question even if participants decline to answer. Variable renames include ETHNIC to HISPANIC (removing a "not reported" option) and NHOPI to NHPI. The payer-source field removed the generic "Other" choice and added two specific options; the presenter noted 999 is no longer a default for PA and instructed that if a participant reports exactly 999 minutes of physical activity, staff should enter 1000.
CSV guidance and upload process changes: the presenter walked through mapping multi-select race answers to CSV codes (1 for checked, 2 for unchecked) and said any additional text for race/ethnicity should be placed in ETHRACEINFO. A blank ETHRACEINFO cell causes upload failure, so organizations must enter a placeholder. The portal now offers improved validation details including row/column error reporting and will display a Data Profiler for uploaded files (when a CSV uploads correctly) so CDC staff can help troubleshoot; CDC cannot edit uploaded files but may manually enable submission in specific cases.
The presenter announced an optional two-file upload method that lets organizations upload participant enrollment data separately from session-level data. "If you have no new participants, you will not have to upload the enrollment file again," the presenter said, noting the two-file method is optional and organization workflows for editing and submitting remain the same. The presenter also described split Edit Records screens (Session Data and Participant Data) and an updated submission attestation requiring organizations to confirm they did not include personally identifiable information (PII) such as initials, names, birth dates, medical record numbers or Social Security numbers.
For technical or validation questions, the presenter directed organizations to the Data Team at dprpdata@cdc.gov and to open a case with the National DPP Customer Service Center; SAMS Help Desk can assist with account access issues.
Key data-element changes: the presenter said "the first new variable is participant zip code," required for all participants so CDC can identify areas lacking program access. A new MENA (Middle Eastern or North African) variable uses coding consistent with other race variables. ETHRACEINFO was introduced as a free-text field (up to 100 characters) to capture additional details about ethnicity, race, country of origin or ancestry; the presenter said entries "will not be validated for spelling or grammar" and organizations should paste responses directly into the CSV and enter "NA," "Did not reply," or a similar indicator if a participant declines to answer.
The presenter described a new six-part disability question intended to identify enrollment gaps: each sub-item uses 1="yes", 2="no", or 9="chose not to respond" and organizations are required to ask the question even if participants decline to answer. Variable renames include ETHNIC to HISPANIC (removing a "not reported" option) and NHOPI to NHPI. The payer-source field removed the generic "Other" choice and added two specific options; the presenter noted 999 is no longer a default for PA and instructed that if a participant reports exactly 999 minutes of physical activity, staff should enter 1000.
CSV guidance and upload process changes: the presenter walked through mapping multi-select race answers to CSV codes (1 for checked, 2 for unchecked) and said any additional text for race/ethnicity should be placed in ETHRACEINFO. A blank ETHRACEINFO cell causes upload failure, so organizations must enter a placeholder. The portal now offers improved validation details including row/column error reporting and will display a Data Profiler for uploaded files (when a CSV uploads correctly) so CDC staff can help troubleshoot; CDC cannot edit uploaded files but may manually enable submission in specific cases.
The presenter announced an optional two-file upload method that lets organizations upload participant enrollment data separately from session-level data. "If you have no new participants, you will not have to upload the enrollment file again," the presenter said, noting the two-file method is optional and organization workflows for editing and submitting remain the same. The presenter also described split Edit Records screens (Session Data and Participant Data) and an updated submission attestation requiring organizations to confirm they did not include personally identifiable information (PII) such as initials, names, birth dates, medical record numbers or Social Security numbers.
For technical or validation questions, the presenter directed organizations to the Data Team at dprpdata@cdc.gov and to open a case with the National DPP Customer Service Center; SAMS Help Desk can assist with account access issues.
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