K. Whetten-goldstein et al., So much for keeping secrets: the importance of considering patients' perspectives on maintaining confidentiality, AIDS CARE, 13(4), 2001, pp. 457-465
Citations number
22
Categorie Soggetti
Public Health & Health Care Science
Journal title
AIDS CARE-PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIO-MEDICAL ASPECTS OF AIDS/HIV
Little data are available from patients' perspectives regarding the mainten
ance of confidentiality by care providers. Such data may be useful in deter
mining the importance of confidentiality to patients and in developing appr
opriate policies and procedures regarding confidentiality. Three focus grou
ps were conducted with support groups of rural HIV-positive patients. Text
was coded inductively and analyzed with software designed for qualitative a
nalysis. Participants perceived breaches of confidentiality in hospitals, c
linics and health departments that occurred by word of mouth, computers, fa
csimile and written materials. Patients included sharing stigmatizing medic
al information among medical providers without prior consent as a breach. T
hey made decisions about where to seek care based on the degree of professi
onalism of medical staff (which included respecting confidentiality), clini
c location or the level of security of the organization's computer network
since they believed that computers increase information access. Finally, pa
rticipants believed that medical personnel should be taught the importance
of maintaining confidentiality and that those who violated confidentiality
should be punished. Patients would like confidentiality policies that requi
re providers to: (1) explain procedures for sharing information, (2) reques
t patients' specific consent for access to their medical records, even amon
g other providers, and (3) punish those who breach confidentiality.