How far do you split your tables

[hargi]

Looking at a database app.

Say for example you have a table called person.
So person as attributes of
FirstName
LastName
DOB
Gender
MaritalStatus
Disabilities

for example

Im thinking that Disabilities should be another table as in one person can have many disabilities and a disability can be linke to many people so some join table will be needed.

However, gender, im assuming this is a one to many relationship from my understanding one person can have one gender but gender can be assigned to many people. But is it worth breaking it down to this level?

Thanks

 

[hargi]

Thanks both for the replies. That makes sense to me now.

RE data protection and security I have read http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_organisations/data_protection/security_measures.aspx

Now if this database was going to be stored on a web server with a php ( codeignite ) front end.
The site would have to be https with ssl?
The database would have to be secured in a 'members only area' so a few select people would have to log on with there own username and a strong password.