Privacy and confidentiality of users in a general hospital

Abstract

The privacy and confidentiality of users are often disrespected within the hospital setting. The present study, consisting of an exploratory and qualitative survey, was performed in a general hospital located in Pau dos Ferros, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil and aimed to analyze the perception of users regarding aspects related to their privacy and confidentiality during hospitalization The semi-structured interview technique with content analysis was used for data collection. After data analysis, two categories were created: the privacy of hospitalized users and the confidentiality of their data. The results showed that interviewees had an ambiguous understanding of privacy and confidentiality and a limited comprehension of these issues. As they were not aware they had such rights, they did not associate invasive situations experienced during hospitalization with disrespect. In addition, the speeches of the participants showed passivity and acceptance towards the care received. It is therefore hoped that the results of this study can contribute to the expansion of discussions about the ethical aspects studied and possible improvements in health care.