Which demographic information is NOT included in Protected Health Information?

Preferred language is not considered a part of Protected Health Information (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). PHI includes any information that can identify an individual and relates to their health status, healthcare provision, or payment for healthcare. While date of birth, address, and gender all directly contribute to identifying an individual and are closely tied to health-related information, preferred language does not inherently provide such identifying data in the same way. It is more of a descriptive characteristic that may be relevant for communication but does not contribute to an individual's identifiable personal health information. Thus, preferred language is not included in the legal definition of PHI.