Privacy Concerns and Disclosure Behavior in a Health Setting

Abstract

Health care practitioners need complete and accurate information to provide quality care to their patients. However, health information is considered to be highly private. Patients may have concerns about disclosing such information, especially if asked to provide this information using technology. The goal of this study was to investigate how participants' experience with a technology affect their level of disclosure in a health setting. Specifically, we were interested in understanding how the use of a health database system influences the disclosure of private health information. We asked 12 younger and 12 older adults to interact with a computerized health data entry system and then to rate the completeness and accuracy of their intended disclosures. Results indicate that, for the most part, participants would provide complete and accurate information using such a system. Younger adults were less likely than older adults to intend to disclose sensitive information, suggesting that additional information gathering may be appropriate for younger adults. The importance of providing a reason for the request of each piece of health information is discussed in relation to the setting where information is gathered.