What is a step researchers can take to protect subject privacy and data confidentiality?

The option that encompasses multiple strategies highlights a comprehensive approach to ensuring subject privacy and data confidentiality. Protecting participant information is essential in human subjects research, and each of the mentioned steps contributes to that protection.

Keeping the key that links participant names to their responses in a secure location is crucial. This ensures that while researchers may need to access identifiers for a legitimate reason, the information is safeguarded from unauthorized access.

Reporting data in aggregate form in publications reduces the risk of identifying individual subjects, as it summarizes the data rather than revealing personal information. This method is vital in protecting confidentiality since it presents findings without disclosing personal identifiers.

Destroying all identifiers connected to the data is a proactive step that eliminates the possibility of linking responses to individuals entirely. By removing all identifiable information, researchers significantly reduce confidentiality risks.

Since each of these actions contributes to a robust data protection strategy, selecting the option that includes all steps reflects a thorough understanding of how to safeguard participant privacy and ensure ethical research practices.