What does "confidentiality" mean in human subjects research?

In the context of human subjects research, confidentiality refers to the obligation of researchers to protect the personal information of participants. This involves implementing measures to ensure that data collected during the research does not allow for the identification of individuals without their consent. Researchers are required to handle sensitive information with care, ensuring that unauthorized individuals cannot access participants’ identities or their private data.

Maintaining confidentiality is vital not only for protecting the privacy of research subjects but also for fostering trust between participants and researchers. When participants believe that their information will remain confidential, they are more likely to share truthful and complete data, which can lead to more accurate research outcomes.

The other options do not accurately represent the concept of confidentiality in research. Publishing all participant data would contradict the idea of safeguarding personal information. Requiring participants to disclose personal information would not ensure their confidentiality if that information were to be misused. Lastly, sharing participant identities with other organizations directly violates the ethical commitment to confidentiality as it exposes individuals to potential harm and breaches their privacy.