Additional protections researchers can include in their practice to protect subject privacy and data confidentiality include:
Keeping the key linking names to responses in a secure location.
Reporting data in aggregate form in publications resulting from the research.
Requiring all members of the research team to sign confidentiality agreements.
Destroying all identifiers connected to the data.
All of the above
The correct answer and explanation is :
Correct Answer: All of the above
Explanation:
In research involving human subjects, protecting subject privacy and ensuring data confidentiality are ethical imperatives and often legal requirements under regulations like the Common Rule or HIPAA. Each of the measures listed plays a critical role in safeguarding participants’ information.
- Keeping the key linking names to responses in a secure location:
This practice prevents unauthorized access to personally identifiable information (PII). When data is de-identified but a key exists to re-identify it, this key must be stored separately and securely—preferably encrypted and password-protected—to minimize the risk of a data breach or misuse. - Reporting data in aggregate form in publications:
Sharing data in an aggregated manner (e.g., averages, percentages, group trends) prevents the identification of individual participants. This is especially important in small sample sizes or unique populations where even general descriptors could potentially reveal identities. - Requiring all members of the research team to sign confidentiality agreements:
Confidentiality agreements legally bind team members to uphold privacy standards and deter them from disclosing sensitive information. This also reinforces the ethical responsibility of maintaining subject confidentiality as a collective team commitment. - Destroying all identifiers connected to the data:
Once the research objectives have been met or when identifiers are no longer necessary, destroying them reduces the risk of accidental disclosure. This step is crucial in transforming data into an anonymized form, where re-identification becomes impossible.
Conclusion:
Each measure contributes uniquely to a multi-layered approach to confidentiality and privacy. Together, they ensure that participant trust is maintained, data breaches are prevented, and ethical research standards are upheld. Thus, “All of the above” is the correct answer.
