Privacy and Confidentiality Flashcards
What is confidentiality?
Treatment of information that an individual has disclosed in a relationship of trust with the expectation that it will not be divulged to others in ways that are inconsistent with the understanding of the original disclosure without permission.
What is privacy?
Having control over the extent, timing, and circumstances of sharing oneself physically, behaviorally, or intellectually with others.
What is private information?
Information about behavior that occurs in the context in which an individual can reasonably assume that no observation or recording is taking place, and information which has been provided for specific purposes by an individual and which he or she can reasonably expect will not be made public (for example, a medical record).
What is meant by reasonable assumptions regarding privacy?
These vary from culture to culture and from setting to setting but generally refer to any instances where people would not expect to be recorded, such as in their homes or long-distance audio recordings of their children at the park.
Can research that uses individually identifiable information be exempt?
Yes, under 2 conditions:
- The information is either not linked to the respondents’ identities (anonymous), or
- The information is linked to the respondents’ identities, but the nature of the information is such that disclosure will not be reasonably expected to cause harm beyond that encountered in everyday life.
What techniques can a researcher apply to protect confidentiality?
In recruiting for focus groups, it is important to inform prospective participants how fellow participants are being selected. Privacy may or may not be an issue in the course of the group discussion, depending on whether individuals already know each other, and the topic. Participants need to know that information to help them decide about their comfort in being part of that group and dealing with the specific topics of study.
What is FERPA?
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
A federal law to protect the disclosure of educational records.
How do state reporting requirements impact confidentiality?
Mandatory reporting requirements should be described when child abuse and neglect might be revealed in a research study. Such studies could involve at-risk youth, school-based interventions, or parenting practices, among others. State reporting laws may cover such matters as specific communicable diseases, the intent to harm oneself or others, and elder abuse.
