ethique_confidentialité

Does brain-computer interface-based mind reading threaten mental privacy? ethical reflections from interviews with Chinese experts

Sat, 25 Oct 2025 08:18:06 +0000

Author Names: Han F.,Chen H.

Database Source: Embase Weekly Updates

Journal Title: BMC medical ethics

Article Title: Does brain-computer interface-based mind reading threaten mental privacy? ethical reflections from interviews with Chinese experts

Year: 2025

Issue: 1

Volume: 26

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The rapid development of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology has sparked profound debates about the right to privacy, particularly concerning its potential to enable mind reading. While scholars have proposed the establishment of neurorights to safeguard mental privacy, questions remain about whether BCIs can genuinely decode inner thoughts and what makes their ethical implications distinctive. <br/>METHOD(S): This study conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 Chinese experts in the BCI and neuroscience fields to explore their perspectives on the concept, feasibility, and limitations of BCI-based mind reading (BMR). The transcriptions of the interviews were analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis to identify key themes and insights. <br/>RESULT(S): The findings reveal a range of expert perspectives on the interpretations and feasibility of BMR. Most participants believe that current BCI technology cannot decode inner thoughts, although they acknowledge the potential for future advancements. Key technical challenges, such as signal quality and reliance on background information, are highlighted. <br/>CONCLUSION(S): We summarize the interpretations, feasibility, and limitations of BMR and introduce a distinction between "strong BMR" and "weak BMR" to clarify their technical and ethical implications. Based on our analysis, we argue that current BMR does not pose unique ethical challenges compared with other forms of mind reading, and therefore does not yet justify the establishment of a distinct right to mental privacy.<br/>Copyright © 2025. The Author(s).

The complexities of research ethics when therapists become research subjects: power, privacy, and professional boundaries in psychotherapy research

Sat, 25 Oct 2025 08:18:06 +0000

Author Names: Yonatan-Leus R.,Shefler G.

Database Source: Embase Weekly Updates

Journal Title: Psychotherapy research : journal of the Society for Psychotherapy Research

Article Title: The complexities of research ethics when therapists become research subjects: power, privacy, and professional boundaries in psychotherapy research

Year: 2025

Issue:

Volume:

Abstract: The focus on therapist variables and characteristics has significantly increased in psychotherapy research in recent years. While ethical considerations for patient-participants are well-established, the unique ethical dimensions of therapist-subjects remain underexplored. This theoretical paper examines three critical ethical aspects specific to therapist-participants: power dynamics in hierarchical relationships, personal-professional boundary issues, and confidentiality challenges. We analyze how these considerations manifest particularly in training contexts where researchers often hold supervisory roles over therapist-subjects (e.g., faculty supervising student-therapists). The paper explores the complex interplay between informed consent and institutional hierarchies, especially when participation may be perceived as professionally expected rather than voluntary. We examine the implications of recording and analyzing therapy sessions that expose therapists' personal characteristics and professional competencies, particularly when coded by colleagues within small professional communities. While existing ethical frameworks address research participants generally, they lack specific guidance for the unique vulnerabilities of therapists who are simultaneously research subjects and professional practitioners. We propose targeted considerations for ethical research design, including enhanced informed consent procedures, structural safeguards for managing power differentials, and privacy protections tailored to professional contexts. This theoretical exploration aims to highlight overlooked ethical complexities and guide future research practices when therapists serve as subjects in psychotherapy research.

Incidental Genetic Findings Discovered During Autopsy: An Ethical Analysis of Patient Confidentiality Post-Mortem

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Ethics Behav. 2025 Mar 17:10.1080/10508422.2025.2478389. doi: 10.1080/10508422.2025.2478389. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Protections for patient confidentiality during life prove essential for effective healthcare. However, post-mortem, these protections can cease. Postmortem, technological advancements enhance autopsy evaluations but also contribute to incidental findings during autopsy. An incidental finding, unrelated to the cause of death, can include genetic conditions which can have significant implications for family members of the deceased. The ethical and legal implications of disclosing incidental findings with genetic components to family members of a deceased patient are evaluated in this research and advance directives are explored as a possible solution to protecting patient confidentiality post-mortem.

PMID:41111953 | PMC:PMC12533811 | DOI:10.1080/10508422.2025.2478389

If she watches, I will share: The impact of private and public self-focus on children's sharing behavior and the moral self-concept

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

J Exp Child Psychol. 2025 Oct 18;262:106399. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2025.106399. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

States with a focus on oneself, such as observing oneself (private self-focus) and being observed by others (public self-focus), are proposed to increase the saliency of own motives and evaluations by others and thereby to influence behavior. These processes become particularly relevant toward the end of early childhood, around the same age when children's moral self-concept (their view of themselves as prosocial agents) consolidates. This study advances the understanding of the role of self-focus on children's prosocial behavior by considering their moral self-concept. We investigated how private self-focus and two facets of public self-focus affect sharing behavior, the moral self-concept, and their interrelation. In a preregistered study, we assessed 5- to 8-year-olds' (N = 161, 84 female) sharing behavior and moral self-concept across four conditions. Children shared while observing themselves (private self-focus), while being observed by another child (reputation), while being observed by another child who could reciprocate later (reciprocity), or while not being observed (control). Generally, children shared more when observed by another person compared to when they were not in the focus of anybody, whereas observing themselves did not increase sharing. Children's moral self-concept was positively correlated with sharing, particularly when being in public self-focus, while mean values did not differ between conditions. The study provides novel evidence for the specific role of the awareness of others' evaluation in children's prosocial behavior. It suggests a social grounding of the moral self-concept by revealing its particular role for sharing behavior when being in the focus of social attention.

PMID:41110206 | DOI:10.1016/j.jecp.2025.106399

Does brain-computer interface-based mind reading threaten mental privacy? ethical reflections from interviews with Chinese experts.

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

BMC Medical Ethics; 10/14/2025
(AN 188649723); ISSN: 14726939
CINAHL Complete

When Ethical Principles Conflict: The Ethics of Genetic Confidentiality in Context.

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

American Journal of Bioethics; 10/01/2025
(AN 188053962); ISSN: 15265161
CINAHL Complete

Polygenic Risk Scoring and the Duty to Warn...Kilbride, M. 2025. Breaching confidentiality in genetic and non-genetic cases: Two problematic distinctions. The American Journal of Bioethics 25 (10):9–21.

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

American Journal of Bioethics; 10/01/2025
(AN 188053989); ISSN: 15265161
CINAHL Complete

Breaching Confidentiality in Genetic and Non-Genetic Cases: Two Problematic Distinctions—A Response to Commentators...Menard T. American Journal of Bioethics. 2025,25(10),43-44.

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

American Journal of Bioethics; 10/01/2025
(AN 188053991); ISSN: 15265161
CINAHL Complete

Balancing privacy and responsibility: The ethical implications of cryptocurrency in dermatology.

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology; 10/01/2025
(AN 187868697); ISSN: 01909622
CINAHL Complete

Ethical challenges in treating family members: A case study on confidentiality and clinical decision-making in the Indian context

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

SAGE Open Med Case Rep. 2025 Sep 28;13:2050313X251380521. doi: 10.1177/2050313X251380521. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

This case report explores the ethical complexities faced by physicians when providing medical advice and care to close family members. It focuses on a 29-year-old Indian woman residing in Western Europe who, while visiting family in Kerala, India, was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy during a routine health check. Several family members involved in her care are also practicing physicians, raising significant ethical questions about confidentiality, professional objectivity, and the boundaries of familial care. The case highlights the tension between patient autonomy and informal medical involvement by relatives, especially in a country such as India, where cultural expectations encourage familial responsibility. Although clinical care was efficiently delivered, the situation raised concerns about the formal decision-making process, the lack of clinical documentation, and the absence of established ethical frameworks within the Indian healthcare context. This report emphasizes the need for clearer guidelines and practical tools to help physicians navigate dual-role relationships while upholding confidentiality and clinical integrity. The patient's perspective and the follow-up are discussed, with implications for both policy and practice.

PMID:41031057 | PMC:PMC12477383 | DOI:10.1177/2050313X251380521

Ethical Considerations in Patient Privacy and Data Handling for AI in Cardiovascular Imaging and Radiology

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

J Imaging Inform Med. 2025 Sep 24. doi: 10.1007/s10278-025-01656-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into cardiovascular imaging and radiology offers the potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy, streamline workflows, and personalize patient care. However, the rapid adoption of AI has introduced complex ethical challenges, particularly concerning patient privacy, data handling, informed consent, and data ownership. This narrative review explores these issues by synthesizing literature from clinical, technical, and regulatory perspectives. We examine the tensions between data utility and data protection, the evolving role of transparency and explainable AI, and the disparities in ethical and legal frameworks across jurisdictions such as the European Union, the USA, and emerging players like China. We also highlight the vulnerabilities introduced by cloud computing, adversarial attacks, and the use of commercial datasets. Ethical frameworks and regulatory guidelines are compared, and proposed mitigation strategies such as federated learning, blockchain, and differential privacy are discussed. To ensure ethical implementation, we emphasize the need for shared accountability among clinicians, developers, healthcare institutions, and policymakers. Ultimately, the responsible development of AI in medical imaging must prioritize patient trust, fairness, and equity, underpinned by robust governance and transparent data stewardship.

PMID:40993477 | DOI:10.1007/s10278-025-01656-7

When Ethical Principles Conflict: The Ethics of Genetic Confidentiality in Context

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Am J Bioeth. 2025 Oct;25(10):40-42. doi: 10.1080/15265161.2025.2543711. Epub 2025 Sep 18.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:40965496 | DOI:10.1080/15265161.2025.2543711

Correction: Predicting the effect of ethical climate and spiritual well-being of nurses on respecting the patients' privacy in intensive care units: an analytical study

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

BMC Res Notes. 2025 Sep 11;18(1):386. doi: 10.1186/s13104-025-07416-8.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:40936084 | PMC:PMC12424217 | DOI:10.1186/s13104-025-07416-8

Private commercial companies sharing health-relevant consumer data with health researchers in sub-Saharan Africa: an ethical exploration

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Policy Stud. 2024 Sep 19:10.1080/01442872.2024.2403506. doi: 10.1080/01442872.2024.2403506. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Sharing large digital-first datasets, including for purposes for which they were not originally intended, is a hallmark of the 'big data revolution'. Through their routine operations, private commercial companies collect massive amounts of diverse data from their customers, some of which may interest those working in the public sector, such as health researchers. Researchers and government agencies worldwide have been increasingly using data from commercial entities (such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook/Meta, Twitter/X and Amazon, among others) to generate health-related insights. This article explores ethical issues raised by the practice of commercial companies sharing consumer data with third-parties for the purposes of promoting health in the sub-Saharan African (SSA) context. First, as an illustrative example, it examines some of the ways telecommunication (telecom) companies in SSA shared mobility data from cellphone users with public health researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, it examines a recent debate about the ethical responsibilities of companies that collect, process and share user-generated data, drawing implications for the SSA context. Finally, since this is a relatively understudied subject, we point out some areas where future conceptual and empirical work could contribute to the development of relevant ethics guidance and regulatory governance in SSA.

PMID:40857480 | PMC:PMC12356098 | DOI:10.1080/01442872.2024.2403506

Preserving medical confidentiality in Brazilian criminal investigation cases: a narrative review of the principles of bioethics

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2025 Aug 19;80:100740. doi: 10.1016/j.clinsp.2025.100740. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Medical confidentiality is a fundamental element of the doctor-patient relationship, ensuring a secure environment for sharing sensitive information. This narrative review examines the ethical and legal challenges faced by physicians in Brazil when balancing professional secrecy with the legal duty to report, particularly in the context of criminal investigations. Grounded in the core bioethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice, the study analyzes Brazilian constitutional and infra-constitutional norms, including the Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Code of Medical Ethics. The methodology is qualitative and descriptive-analytical, based on thematic and interpretive analysis of legal documents, court decisions, professional guidelines, and ethical frameworks. Comparative perspectives from Portugal, the United States, and international declarations (e.g., WMA Geneva Declaration, UNESCO Bioethics Declaration) are also included to situate Brazil's legal approach in a global bioethical context. The study highlights the risks of breaching confidentiality without just cause, emphasizing real-life cases involving abortion, HIV disclosure, and unlawful access to patient data. Findings indicate that while breaches may be justified in exceptional situations ‒ such as imminent risk to third parties ‒ confidentiality must remain the standard. The article concludes that ethically informed and legally compliant medical practice requires a careful balance between respecting patient privacy and fulfilling public health and judicial responsibilities. Upholding confidentiality strengthens the therapeutic alliance, protects vulnerable individuals, and ensures alignment with both national law and international bioethical standards.

PMID:40834622 | PMC:PMC12396242 | DOI:10.1016/j.clinsp.2025.100740

Security and Privacy Protection in Developing Ethical AI: A Mixed-Methods Study from a Marketing Employee Perspective.

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Journal of Business Ethics; 08/11/2025
Despite chatbots' increasing popularity, firms often fail to fully achieve their benefits because of their underutilization. We argue that ethical concerns dealing with chatbot-related privacy and security may prevent firms from developing a culture of embracing chatbot use and fully integrating chatbots into their workflows. Our research draws upon the stimulus-organism-response theory (SOR) and a study by Floridi et al. (Minds and Machines, 28:689–707, 2018) on the ethical artificial intelligence framework to investigate how chatbot affordances can foster employees' positive perceptions of privacy protection and security, which may increase perceived ethics in beneficence and ultimately support recommendation intentions. To validate our proposed research model and provide a robust understanding of chatbot-related ethics, we conducted two studies following a mixed-methods design. We used Study 1 as the quantitative phase to collect survey data from full-time marketing employees, and the results provided strong support for our research model based on the relevant theory and literature. We used Study 2 as the qualitative phase to collect interview data to further validate our research model, and the results confirmed Study 1's quantitative findings and provided complementary insights into the phenomenon of interest. Our studies contribute to the literature by providing initial insights into chatbot-related ethics through the exploration of chatbot affordances, security, and privacy protection as the antecedents and through depictions of how these variables foster employees' perceived ethics in beneficence and recommendation intention. Our results can inform practitioners how to develop ethics involving chatbots and promote a chatbot-friendly culture such that firms can fully achieve chatbots' benefits and can thus increase their competitive advantages in emerging chatbot marketing.
(AN 187119403); ISSN: 01674544
Health Business Elite

Ethical AI in medical text generation: balancing innovation with privacy in public health

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Front Public Health. 2025 Jul 18;13:1583507. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1583507. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into medical text generation is transforming public health by enhancing clinical documentation, patient education, and decision support. However, the widespread deployment of AI in this domain introduces significant ethical challenges, including fairness, privacy protection, and accountability. Traditional AI-driven medical text generation models often inherit biases from training data, resulting in disparities in healthcare communication across different demographic groups. Moreover, ensuring patient data confidentiality while maintaining transparency in AI-generated content remains a critical concern. Existing approaches either lack robust bias mitigation mechanisms or fail to provide interpretable and privacy-preserving outputs, compromising ethical compliance and regulatory adherence.

METHODS: To address these challenges, this paper proposes an innovative framework that combines privacy-preserving AI techniques with interpretable model architectures to achieve ethical compliance in medical text generation. The method employs a hybrid approach that integrates knowledge-based reasoning with deep learning, ensuring both accuracy and transparency. Privacy-enhancing technologies, such as homomorphic encryption and secure multi-party computation, are incorporated to safeguard sensitive medical data throughout the text generation process. Fairness-aware training protocols are introduced to mitigate biases in generated content and enhance trustworthiness.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The proposed approach effectively addresses critical challenges of bias, privacy, and interpretability in medical text generation. By combining symbolic reasoning with data-driven learning and embedding ethical principles at the system design level, the framework ensures regulatory alignment and improves public trust. This methodology lays the groundwork for broader deployment of ethically sound AI systems in healthcare communication.

PMID:40756387 | PMC:PMC12313694 | DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2025.1583507

Privacy, ethics, transparency, and accountability in AI systems for wearable devices

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Front Digit Health. 2025 Jun 17;7:1431246. doi: 10.3389/fdgth.2025.1431246. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into wearable sensor technologies has substantially advanced health data science, enabling continuous monitoring, personalised interventions, and predictive analytics. However, the fast advancement of these technologies has raised critical ethical and regulatory concerns, particularly around data privacy, algorithmic bias, informed consent, and the opacity of automated decision-making. This study undertakes a systematic examination of these challenges, highlighting the risks posed by unregulated data aggregation, biased model training, and inadequate transparency in AI-powered health applications. Through an analysis of current privacy frameworks and empirical assessment of publicly available datasets, the study identifies significant disparities in model performance across demographic groups and exposes vulnerabilities in both technical design and ethical governance. To address these issues, this article introduces a data-driven methodological framework that embeds transparency, accountability, and regulatory alignment across all stages of AI development. The framework operationalises ethical principles through concrete mechanisms, including explainable AI, bias mitigation techniques, and consent-aware data processing pipelines, while aligning with legal standards such as the GDPR, the UK Data Protection Act, and the EU AI Act. By incorporating transparency as a structural and procedural requirement, the framework presented in this article offers a replicable model for the responsible development of AI systems in wearable healthcare. In doing so, the study advocates for a regulatory paradigm that balances technological innovation with the protection of individual rights, fostering fair, secure, and trustworthy AI-driven health monitoring.

PMID:40599875 | PMC:PMC12209263 | DOI:10.3389/fdgth.2025.1431246

Privacy, ethics, transparency, and accountability in AI systems for wearable devices.

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Frontiers in Digital Health; 07/01/2025
(AN 186315818)
CINAHL Complete

Ethical Privacy Framework for Large Language Models in Smart Healthcare: A Comprehensive Evaluation and Protection Approach

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

IEEE J Biomed Health Inform. 2025 Jun 4;PP. doi: 10.1109/JBHI.2025.3576579. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The increasing integration of large language models (LLMs) in healthcare systems has revolutionized medical service delivery while introducing privacy vulnerabilities that could compromise patient information. Traditional privacy-preserving approaches often degrade performance in healthcare applications. This paper presents HELP-ME, a framework for evaluating and protecting privacy in healthcare-oriented LLMs through a three-stage approach. First, we develop a systematic ethical privacy threat assessment methodology that identifies potential vulnerabilities in medical data handling. Second, we propose a prompt-focused privacy evaluation mechanism for healthcare scenarios. Finally, we introduce a robust ethical privacy obfuscation method that protects patient data while maintaining model utility. Experiments on the MIMIC-IV dataset demonstrate that HELP-ME achieves model source inference accuracy of 98.2%, clinical record length analysis accuracy of up to 98.5%, and maintains 96.9% diagnostic accuracy in synthetic data generation. The results indicate that HELP-ME provides a practical solution for protecting privacy in healthcare LLM applications while preserving clinical functionality.

PMID:40465443 | DOI:10.1109/JBHI.2025.3576579

God and the Possibility of a Moral Right to Privacy

Thu, 29 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Sophia. 2025;64(2):339-344. doi: 10.1007/s11841-024-01057-3. Epub 2025 Feb 8.

ABSTRACT

In their Unfit for the Future, Ingmar Persson and Julian Savulescu argued that there is no moral right to privacy, which resulted in a string of papers. This paper addresses their most recent contribution, arguing that-contrary to their claims-there is no conflict between God and a moral right to privacy.

PMID:40438293 | PMC:PMC12106543 | DOI:10.1007/s11841-024-01057-3

Ethical and privacy challenges of integrating generative AI into EHR systems in Tanzania: A scoping review with a policy perspective

Thu, 22 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Digit Health. 2025 May 20;11:20552076251344385. doi: 10.1177/20552076251344385. eCollection 2025 Jan-Dec.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study examines the ethical and privacy challenges of integrating generative artificial intelligence (AI) into electronic health record (EHR) systems, focusing on Tanzania's healthcare context. It critically analyses the extent to which Tanzania's Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence in the Health Sector (2022) addresses these challenges and proposes regulatory and practical safeguards for responsible generative AI deployment.

METHODS: A systematic scoping review was conducted using PubMed, IEEE Xplore, Scopus and Google Scholar to identify relevant studies published between 2014 and 2024. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines informed the search and selection process. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were thematically analysed to identify key ethical and privacy concerns of generative AI in healthcare. Moreover, a policy analysis of Tanzania's AI framework was conducted to assess its alignment with global best practices and regulatory preparedness.

RESULTS: The review identified six key ethical and privacy challenges associated with generative AI in EHR systems: data privacy and security risks, algorithmic bias and fairness concerns, transparency and accountability issues, consent and autonomy challenges, human oversight gaps and risks of data re-identification. The policy analysis revealed that while Tanzania's AI framework aligns with national health priorities and promotes capacity building and ethical governance, it lacks generative AI-specific guidelines, regulatory clarity and resource mobilisation strategies necessary for healthcare settings.

CONCLUSION: Integrating generative AI into Tanzania's EHR systems presents transformative opportunities and significant ethical and privacy risks. Tanzania's policy framework should incorporate AI-specific ethical guidelines, operationalise regulatory mechanisms, foster stakeholder engagement through participatory co-design and strengthen infrastructural investments. These measures will promote ethical integrity, enhance patient trust and position Tanzania as a regional leader in responsible AI use in healthcare.

PMID:40400763 | PMC:PMC12093014 | DOI:10.1177/20552076251344385

Data Sharing's Different Meanings: A Hierarchy of Privacy and Ethical Challenges

Sat, 17 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Stud Health Technol Inform. 2025 May 15;327:989-990. doi: 10.3233/SHTI250520.

ABSTRACT

Clinical data sharing is common for patient care, research, public health, and innovation. "Data sharing" is often ambiguous and multifaceted-involving ethical, legal, and social issues. We developed a six-tiered hierarchy, DaSH, explicating data sharing's risks and ethical complexities for patient data privacy.

PMID:40380627 | DOI:10.3233/SHTI250520

Exploring Ethics: Understanding the Role of Privacy Policies and Institutional Review Boards in Digital Health Companies

Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

J Med Internet Res. 2025 May 16;27:e70711. doi: 10.2196/70711.

ABSTRACT

Research efforts are growing rapidly in the digital health industry, but with this growth comes increasing ethical challenges. In this viewpoint paper, we leverage over 20 years of combined experience across academia, industry, and digital health to address critical issues related to ethics, specifically privacy policies and institutional review board compliance, which are often misunderstood or misapplied. We examine the purpose of privacy policies and institutional review boards, provide brief examples where companies faced legal and ethical consequences due to shortcomings, and clarify common misconceptions. Finally, we offer recommendations on how digital health companies can improve their ethical practices and ensure compliance in a rapidly evolving landscape.

PMID:40378409 | PMC:PMC12101787 | DOI:10.2196/70711

Relational Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counselling Private Practice: solidarity, compassion, justice.

Thu, 01 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Therapy Today; 05/01/2025
(AN 184493983); ISSN: 17487846
CINAHL Complete

Privacy Is Ethical Concern with Suicide Research Recruitment in ED Setting.

Thu, 01 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Medical Ethics Advisor; 05/01/2025
(AN 185140576); ISSN: 08860653
CINAHL Complete

An Ethical Approach to Genomic Privacy Preserving Technology Development

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Proc (IEEE Int Conf Healthc Inform). 2024 Jun;2024:638-641. doi: 10.1109/ichi61247.2024.00102. Epub 2024 Aug 22.

ABSTRACT

Demand for genomic research data and genetic testing results from cancer patients has grown exponentially. When a patient is diagnosed with a hereditary cancer syndrome, standard practice is for providers to encourage patients to discuss their results with their relatives and encourage those relatives to have clinical genetic testing and possibly participate in genetic research. Genomic research data and genetic testing results are being shared and connected in ways never imagined. Genomic data sharing is critical for advancing precision health and increasing diversity in global genome databases. However, these advancements often come with undesirable consequences, which call for additional privacy safeguards and research practices to protect hereditary cancer patients and their families because relatives who may have genomic information in common with the patient causing privacy risks to ripple throughout a kinship network. We propose to address this gap using an interdisciplinary approach integrating bioethical principles (autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, respect for persons, and equity) with data science techniques to mitigate privacy risk challenges.

PMID:40200994 | PMC:PMC11976530 | DOI:10.1109/ichi61247.2024.00102

Everyday ethics: Privacy and trust.

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 04:00:00 +0000

American Nurse Journal; 04/01/2025
(AN 184375990); ISSN: 26899272
CINAHL Complete

Privacy Protection for Open Sharing of Psychiatric and Behavioral Research Data: Ethical Considerations and Recommendations

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Alpha Psychiatry. 2025 Feb 28;26(1):38759. doi: 10.31083/AP38759. eCollection 2025 Feb.

ABSTRACT

Data sharing within psychiatric and behavioral research represents a novel application of ethical principles in practice; however, it suffers from a dearth of practical experience and established ethical norms. In this study, we comprehensively examined the ethical considerations surrounding the acquisition, management, sharing, and utilization of such data. We graded sensitive data and suggest ethical standards for privacy protection based on varying levels of data sensitivity. The objective of this study is to foster orderly and standardized open sharing of psychiatric and behavioral research data, thereby advancing the development and progress of related academic disciplines in China. This Chinese expert consensus has been registered on the International Guide Registration platform (Registration Number: PREPARE-2024CN412).

PMID:40110382 | PMC:PMC11915712 | DOI:10.31083/AP38759

Predicting the effect of ethical climate and spiritual well-being of nurses on respecting the patients' privacy in intensive care units: an analytical study

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

BMC Res Notes. 2025 Mar 13;18(1):111. doi: 10.1186/s13104-025-07174-7.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Ethical climate, observance of patients' privacy and nurses' spiritual well-being are of great importance in intensive care units (ICU). In addition, it is essential to identify spiritual and ethical predictors of patients' privacy. Thus, this study aimed to determine the predictive effects of ethical climate and nurses' spiritual well-being on patients' privacy in ICU.

METHODS: In this analytical cross-sectional study, 250 out of 500 ICU nurses were recruited using proportionate allocation stratified sampling. Data were collected using a demographic characteristics form, Patient Privacy Scale, Hospital Ethical Climate Survey, and Spiritual Well-Being Scale. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and hierarchical linear regression analysis.

RESULTS: The results showed that patients' privacy was associated with the hospital's ethical climate and nurses' spiritual well-being (P < 0.001). The hierarchical linear regression analysis indicated that, in step 1, patients (β = 0.22, P = 0.03) and managers' (β = 0.41, P < 0.001) subscales of ethical climate had a significant proportion of the variance of patients' privacy. In step 2, patients (β = 0.25, P = 0.01), managers' (β = 0.34, P < 0.001) subscales of ethical climate, and nurses' spiritual well-being (β = 0.17, P = 0.01) had a significant proportion of the variance of patients' privacy. According to step 2, these variables explained 40% of the changes in patients' privacy.

CONCLUSION: The results of the present study showed that the ethical climate and nurses' spiritual well-being were the predictors of patients' privacy. Given that 40% of the variance of the patients' privacy was recognized by these variables, it is suggested that further research should be conducted to determine other predictors.

PMID:40082993 | PMC:PMC11907835 | DOI:10.1186/s13104-025-07174-7

A scoping review of ethical aspects of public-private partnerships in digital health.

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 05:00:00 +0000

NPJ Digital Medicine; 02/27/2025
(AN 183353275); ISSN: 23986352
CINAHL Complete

A scoping review of ethical aspects of public-private partnerships in digital health

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

NPJ Digit Med. 2025 Feb 27;8(1):129. doi: 10.1038/s41746-025-01515-3.

ABSTRACT

Partnerships between public and private organizations in digital health can promote more accessible, affordable, and high-quality care, but they also raise ethical and governance challenges. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, identifying 46 studies examining ethical aspects of digital health public-private partnerships (PPPs). Three key themes emerged: data privacy and consent, ensuring public benefit and access, and good governance and demonstrating trustworthiness. We provide recommendations for each theme. To foster responsible innovation, we conclude that early and contextual operationalisation of ethics guidelines in PPPs is necessary to balance respect for fundamental values with the pursuit of impactful innovation. If PPPs become more successful as a result, this contributes to reducing the research waste of failed collaborations. Further research should clarify the scope of PPPs and definition of 'public benefit', and we call for critical study on the 'economization' of digital health promoted by public and private sector organizations.

PMID:40016286 | PMC:PMC11868512 | DOI:10.1038/s41746-025-01515-3

Ethical and Data Privacy Challenges in Mobile Health for Prediction and Management of Sepsis: A Review...Sixth Shiraz International Congress on Mobile Health, February 18-20, 2025, Shiraz, Iran.

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 05:00:00 +0000

International Journal of Nutrition Sciences; 02/02/2025
(AN 187136690); ISSN: 25381873
CINAHL Complete

Exploring the Ethical Implications of ChatGPT in Medical Education: Privacy, Accuracy, and Professional Integrity in a Cross-Sectional Survey

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Cureus. 2024 Dec 17;16(12):e75895. doi: 10.7759/cureus.75895. eCollection 2024 Dec.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The inclusion of artificial intelligence in medical education, specifically through the use of ChatGPT (OpenAI, San Francisco, CA), has transformed learning and generated many ethical questions. This study aims to analyze the medical students' ethical concerns about using ChatGPT in medical education, focusing on privacy, accuracy, and professional integrity.

METHODS: The study format was a cross-sectional survey distributed to 219 medical students at ABWA Medical College, Pakistan. A pre-validated, pre-structured questionnaire was created with Google Forms, including questions regarding the accuracy of ChatGPT, confidentiality, and its impact on the students' critical thinking faculties. This information was collected after obtaining informed consent. The data collected were descriptively and inferentially analyzed using SPSS software version 26.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY).

RESULTS: In total, 95% of respondents (n = 190) confirmed that the information provided by ChatGPT was accurate, and 80% (n = 160) stated that they trusted the medical information from the tool. However, 83% (n = 166 students) indicated concerns about privacy and data security. While 69% of participants (n = 138) discovered that ChatGPT supplemented their critical thinking skills, the rest (31%; n = 62) believed it led to decreased autonomy over time. However, since health science-related courses often involve sensitive patient information, 22% (n = 44) of students raised concerns about using ChatGPT in future medical education due to the potential issues with privacy and the risk of inaccuracies in recorded information.

CONCLUSION: ChatGPT offers promising educational benefits in medical training but raises significant ethical concerns, particularly regarding data privacy and the potential for over-reliance. The results suggest the need for responsible integration of AI in medical education, ensuring it supplements rather than replaces traditional learning methods.

PMID:39822443 | PMC:PMC11737866 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.75895

Workers' moral hazard and private insurer effort in disability insurance.

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Journal of Risk & Insurance; 12/01/2024
While it is well known that supplementary private Disability Insurance (DI) has the potential to increase workers' moral hazard, the extra coverage may also increase incentives for private insurers to reduce caseloads by means of prevention and reintegration activities. With unique administrative data on DI contracts of firms in the Netherlands, this paper aims to disentangle these worker and insurer responses to increased coverage. Supplementary insurance increases the insurers' incentive to lower disability risks, but in our setting it also creates an incentive for the insurers to facilitate partial work resumption of disabled workers who have earnings capacity. Using firm‐ and time‐fixed effects models on the absence and employment rates, we find that insurer effort counteracts workers' moral hazard.
(AN 181039578); ISSN: 00224367
Health Business Elite

Rise of Private Equity Raises Ethical Conflicts in Emergency Medicine.

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Medical Ethics Advisor; 12/01/2024
(AN 181425440); ISSN: 08860653
CINAHL Complete

Balancing privacy and responsibility: The ethical implications of cryptocurrency in dermatology

Sat, 16 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

J Am Acad Dermatol. 2025 Oct;93(4):1192-1193. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2024.10.082. Epub 2024 Nov 14.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:39549853 | DOI:10.1016/j.jaad.2024.10.082

Machine Learning in Health Care: Ethical Considerations Tied to Privacy, Interpretability, and Bias

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

N C Med J. 2024 Jun;85(4):240-245. doi: 10.18043/001c.120562.

ABSTRACT

Machine learning models hold great promise with medical applications, but also give rise to a series of ethical challenges. In this survey we focus on training data, model interpretability and bias and the related issues tied to privacy, autonomy, and health equity.

PMID:39466090 | DOI:10.18043/001c.120562

Ethical considerations regarding patient privacy when employing artificial intelligence in dermatology

Sat, 19 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Int J Dermatol. 2025 Jun;64(6):1124-1125. doi: 10.1111/ijd.17525. Epub 2024 Oct 19.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:39425508 | DOI:10.1111/ijd.17525

Speculation fit for a king? Medical announcements from the British royal family and the recurring ethical complexities of personal privacy and public commentary from physicians.

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0000

BMC Medical Ethics; 10/04/2024
(AN 180106810); ISSN: 14726939
CINAHL Complete

Speculation fit for a king? Medical announcements from the British royal family and the recurring ethical complexities of personal privacy and public commentary from physicians

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

BMC Med Ethics. 2024 Oct 4;25(1):105. doi: 10.1186/s12910-024-01105-0.

ABSTRACT

This article explores the ethical complexities of openly-expressed medical commentary using recent cancer diagnoses within the British monarchy as illustrative cases. Specifically, it examines tensions between public interest, personal privacy, and professional standards, underlining the adverse implications of conjectural discourse, alongside the role of physicians in enhancing wider medical understanding.

PMID:39367413 | PMC:PMC11451130 | DOI:10.1186/s12910-024-01105-0

Academic Ethical Awareness among Undergraduate Nursing Students of a Private University in Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

SAGE Open Nurs. 2024 Sep 19;10:23779608241281295. doi: 10.1177/23779608241281295. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Academic ethical awareness is a crucial prerequisite for practice, serving as the cornerstone for a professional demeanor in clinical settings and ensuring future adherence to nursing ethics.

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed academic ethical awareness as well as its related characteristics among undergraduate Nursing students of a private university in Nigeria.

METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional research design was utilized. The study was conducted among undergraduate nursing students of a private university in Nigeria. A convenience sample of 158 nursing students from 300 level to 500 level voluntarily participated in this study. Data were collected using the Academic Ethical Awareness Questionnaire and descriptive statistics, mean and standard deviation were employed to analysis the data collected.

RESULTS: The mean age of nursing students was 21.1. Majority of the respondents were females, Christians and claimed average financial status with 87%, 94%, and 68%, respectively. Nursing students demonstrated moderate academic ethical awareness (69.5%), a mean score of 3.68 ± 0.81. They knew that revealing patient information in public places of the hospital, disregarding, slandering, or making fun of patients in face-to-face interaction, and having someone else attend class as a substitute were unethical behaviors with mean scores of 3.96, 3.90, 3.88, and 3.88, respectively. Academic ethical awareness was low for submitting cut and paste report, not paying attention in class and being late to class, with mean scores 1.81, 2.05, and 2.80, respectively. Gender, level of study, and satisfaction with Nursing as a course of choice are significant determinant of ethical academic awareness with P value of .018, .005, and .011, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Nursing students assessed demonstrated moderate academic ethical awareness. Improved instruction is required regarding the value of appropriate classroom behavior and emphasis on the implications of plagiarism in practice.

PMID:39314649 | PMC:PMC11418356 | DOI:10.1177/23779608241281295

Nurses' perspectives on privacy and ethical concerns regarding artificial intelligence adoption in healthcare

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Heliyon. 2024 Aug 22;10(17):e36702. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36702. eCollection 2024 Sep 15.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: With the increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into healthcare systems, there is a growing emphasis on privacy and ethical considerations. Nurses, as frontline healthcare professionals, are pivotal in-patient care and offer valuable insights into the ethical implications of AI adoption.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore nurses' perspectives on privacy and ethical concerns associated with the implementation of AI in healthcare settings.

METHODS: We employed Van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology as the qualitative research approach. Data were collected through purposive sampling from the December 7, 2023 to the January 15, 2024, with interviews conducted in Bengali. Thematic analysis was utilized following member checking and an audit trail.

RESULTS: Six themes emerged from the research findings: Ethical dimensions of AI integration, highlighting complexities in incorporating AI ethically; Privacy challenges in healthcare AI, revealing concerns about data security and confidentiality; Balancing innovation and ethical practice, indicating a need to reconcile technological advancements with ethical considerations; Human touch vs. technological progress, underscoring tensions between automation and personalized care; Patient-centered care in the AI era, emphasizing the importance of maintaining focus on patients amidst technological advancements; and Ethical preparedness and education, suggesting a need for enhanced training and education on ethical AI use in healthcare.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings underscore the importance of addressing privacy and ethical concerns in AI healthcare development. Nurses advocate for patient-centered approaches and collaborate with policymakers and tech developers to ensure responsible AI adoption. Further research is imperative for mitigating ethical challenges and promoting ethical AI in healthcare practice.

PMID:39281626 | PMC:PMC11400963 | DOI:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36702

Private Equity Acquisition of Physician Practices—Looking for Ethical Guidance From Professional Societies.

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0000

JAMA Health Forum; 09/13/2024
(AN 179640644)
CINAHL Complete

Private Equity Acquisition of Physician Practices-Looking for Ethical Guidance From Professional Societies

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

JAMA Health Forum. 2024 Sep 6;5(9):e242767. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2024.2767.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:39269693 | DOI:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2024.2767

Assessment of the understanding and awareness of bioethics among healthcare professionals in all public and private hospitals of Haripur district, Pakistan: a multicentre cross-sectional study

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

BMJ Open. 2024 Aug 19;14(8):e083521. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-083521.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of bioethics awareness among healthcare professionals in Pakistan, focusing on the associations with sociodemographic characteristics, training and teaching of ethics, medical ethics practice and specific ethical issues.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.

SETTING: Public and private hospitals in Haripur, Pakistan.

PARTICIPANTS: A total of 647 healthcare professionals participated in this study.

METHODS: This study was conducted between March and May 2023, following Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology checklist criterion, involving healthcare professionals with at least 6 months of experience in patient care practice. Providers under close supervision are advised not to respond to the bioethics knowledge, attitudes and practices survey form due to potential ethical dilemmas.

RESULTS: Both physicians and non-physicians need to know more about bioethics. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in ethical training and teaching based on job categories/designations, with ethical views differing greatly by job designation. Specific ethical issues, such as accepting gifts from patients and pharmaceutical companies, referral fees, advising specific products, disclosure of medical errors, patient confidentiality, not informing patients fully about treatment and performing tasks for financial gain, showed significant associations (p<0.05) with healthcare professional's designation. Ethical awareness scores also showed significant differences (p<0.05) based on age, ethnicity, place of posting, professional experience and the organisation's ethical guidelines.

CONCLUSION: This study highlighted a notable gap in the understanding of certain ethical concerns among healthcare professionals, with nurses showing relatively lower awareness of healthcare practice compared with other professionals. Addressing these issues through targeted training and robust ethical guidelines is critical to improving patient care in Pakistan's healthcare system.

PMID:39160104 | PMC:PMC11337700 | DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-083521

Public Good versus Private "Goods": Ethical Implications of Drug Shortages on Anesthesiology Practice

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Anesthesiol Clin. 2024 Sep;42(3):445-455. doi: 10.1016/j.anclin.2023.12.001. Epub 2023 Dec 16.

ABSTRACT

Drug shortages remain a serious and widespread problem affecting all health systems and patients. Anesthesiology practice is strongly impacted by shortages of sterile injectable drugs, resulting in a negative impact on the quality of care. Understanding the root causes of drug shortages guides the anesthesiologist toward an ethical response. While rationing is a common consideration in secular ethics, and indeed rationing strategies are utilized, the use of rationing alone risks normalizing and perpetuating the drug shortage problem. Drug shortages are the direct result of a market failure brought on by lack of oversight of drug production standards in some cases as well as by the impact of intermediary purchasing groups on costs and availability of drugs. Legislation needs to reestablish a responsible, competitive, and robust manufacturing drug market.

PMID:39054019 | DOI:10.1016/j.anclin.2023.12.001

What Do We Mean by Sharing of Patient Data? DaSH: A Data Sharing Hierarchy of Privacy and Ethical Challenges

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Appl Clin Inform. 2024 Oct;15(5):833-841. doi: 10.1055/a-2373-3291. Epub 2024 Jul 25.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Clinical data sharing is common and necessary for patient care, research, public health, and innovation. However, the term "data sharing" is often ambiguous in its many facets and complexities-each of which involves ethical, legal, and social issues. To our knowledge, there is no extant hierarchy of data sharing that assesses these issues.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop a hierarchy explicating the risks and ethical complexities of data sharing with a particular focus on patient data privacy.

METHODS: We surveyed the available peer-reviewed and gray literature and with our combined extensive experience in bioethics and medical informatics, created this hierarchy.

RESULTS: We present six ways on how data are shared and provide a tiered Data Sharing Hierarchy (DaSH) of risks, showing increasing threats to patients' privacy, clinicians, and organizations as one progresses up the hierarchy from data sharing for direct patient care, public health and safety, scientific research, commercial purposes, complex combinations of the preceding efforts, and among networked third parties. We offer recommendations to enhance the benefits of data sharing while mitigating risks and protecting patients' interests by improving consenting; developing better policies and procedures; clarifying, simplifying, and updating regulations to include all health-related data regardless of source; expanding the scope of bioethics for information technology; and increasing ongoing monitoring and research.

CONCLUSION: Data sharing, while essential for patient care, is increasingly complex, opaque, and perhaps perilous for patients, clinicians, and health care institutions. Risks increase with advances in technology and with more encompassing patient data from wearables and artificial intelligence database mining. Data sharing places responsibilities on all parties: patients, clinicians, researchers, educators, risk managers, attorneys, informaticists, bioethicists, institutions, and policymakers.

PMID:39053616 | PMC:PMC11483170 | DOI:10.1055/a-2373-3291

Examination of ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility of nurses and their role in predicting the level of patient privacy protection.

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 04:00:00 +0000

BMC Nursing; 07/23/2024
Introduction: Possessing ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility can play a significant role in the acceptable performance of nurses. Furthermore, respecting the privacy of patients should always be a primary ethical principle that nurses focus on. This study aimed to investigate the ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility of nurses and their role in predicting the level of patients' privacy observance. Also, determining the overall status of patient privacy protection and its two domains, namely human dignity domain and maintaining personal privacy, were specific objectives of this study. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2022. A sample of 340 nurses and 1067 patients from teaching hospitals affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in southern Iran were selected. Standard questionnaires of ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility were used for nurses, and a privacy observance questionnaire was used for patients. Data were analyzed using t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression with the SPSS23 software. Results: The mean score of ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility for nurses was 98.33 ± 18.06 (out of 200) and 74.56 ± 16.76 (out of 140), respectively. The mean score of patients' privacy observance was 79.74 ± 14.53 (out of 150). The results of multiple linear regression showed that the dimensions of perseverance and assertiveness towards rights (β = 0.540, p < 0.001), action based on principles, values, and beliefs (β = 0.454, p < 0.001), responsibility towards personal decisions (β = 0.410, p < 0.001), accepting responsibility for serving others (β = 0.393, p < 0.001), ability to forgive one's mistakes (β = 0.301, p = 0.001), ability to forgive others' mistakes (β = 0.287, p = 0.002), honesty (β = 0.275, p = 0.004), acknowledgment of mistakes and failures (β = 0.263, p = 0.005), commitment to promises (β = 0.242, p = 0.005), and interest in others (β = 0.237, p = 0.01) from the dimensions of ethical intelligence, as well as the dimensions of perceived control (β = 0.580, p < 0.001), perception of multiple solutions (β = 0.511, p < 0.001), and perception of justifications (β = 0.373, p < 0.001) from the dimensions of cognitive flexibility had a positive and significant effect on the level of patients' privacy observance. Conclusion: Ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility of nurses and the level of patient privacy protection were estimated to be at a moderate level. Also, the level of ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility of nurses played a predictive role in the level of patients' privacy observance. It is suggested that hospital managers and policymakers enhance nurses' ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility through educational, welfare, managerial, motivational, and job-related programs, thereby improving the status of patient privacy protection.
(AN 178559911); ISSN: 14726955
CINAHL Complete

Examination of ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility of nurses and their role in predicting the level of patient privacy protection

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

BMC Nurs. 2024 Jul 23;23(1):501. doi: 10.1186/s12912-024-02153-y.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Possessing ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility can play a significant role in the acceptable performance of nurses. Furthermore, respecting the privacy of patients should always be a primary ethical principle that nurses focus on. This study aimed to investigate the ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility of nurses and their role in predicting the level of patients' privacy observance. Also, determining the overall status of patient privacy protection and its two domains, namely human dignity domain and maintaining personal privacy, were specific objectives of this study.

METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2022. A sample of 340 nurses and 1067 patients from teaching hospitals affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in southern Iran were selected. Standard questionnaires of ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility were used for nurses, and a privacy observance questionnaire was used for patients. Data were analyzed using t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression with the SPSS23 software.

RESULTS: The mean score of ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility for nurses was 98.33 ± 18.06 (out of 200) and 74.56 ± 16.76 (out of 140), respectively. The mean score of patients' privacy observance was 79.74 ± 14.53 (out of 150). The results of multiple linear regression showed that the dimensions of perseverance and assertiveness towards rights (β = 0.540, p < 0.001), action based on principles, values, and beliefs (β = 0.454, p < 0.001), responsibility towards personal decisions (β = 0.410, p < 0.001), accepting responsibility for serving others (β = 0.393, p < 0.001), ability to forgive one's mistakes (β = 0.301, p = 0.001), ability to forgive others' mistakes (β = 0.287, p = 0.002), honesty (β = 0.275, p = 0.004), acknowledgment of mistakes and failures (β = 0.263, p = 0.005), commitment to promises (β = 0.242, p = 0.005), and interest in others (β = 0.237, p = 0.01) from the dimensions of ethical intelligence, as well as the dimensions of perceived control (β = 0.580, p < 0.001), perception of multiple solutions (β = 0.511, p < 0.001), and perception of justifications (β = 0.373, p < 0.001) from the dimensions of cognitive flexibility had a positive and significant effect on the level of patients' privacy observance.

CONCLUSION: Ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility of nurses and the level of patient privacy protection were estimated to be at a moderate level. Also, the level of ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility of nurses played a predictive role in the level of patients' privacy observance. It is suggested that hospital managers and policymakers enhance nurses' ethical intelligence and cognitive flexibility through educational, welfare, managerial, motivational, and job-related programs, thereby improving the status of patient privacy protection.

PMID:39039579 | PMC:PMC11264443 | DOI:10.1186/s12912-024-02153-y