Personal privacy versus public accountability: a technological solution to an ethical dilemma

The tension between personal privacy and public accountability produces one of the major ethical dilemmas facing behavioral health program evaluators and service system researchers. This article discusses the source of this tension and introduces a research methodology that allows program evaluators...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The journal of behavioral health services & research 1998-11, Vol.25 (4), p.456-463
Main Authors: Pandiani, J A, Banks, S M, Schacht, L M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Access to information
Accountability
Bioethics
Clinical outcomes
Codes
Codes of Ethics
Community Mental Health Centers
Confidentiality
Drug abuse
Ethical dilemmas
Ethics
Ethics, Professional
Factors
Funding
Health care
Humans
Infectious diseases
Information Dissemination
Information Management - methods
Information Management - standards
Information professionals
Information Technology
Informed consent
Medical ethics
Mental health
Mental Health Services
Mental Health Services - standards
Mentally ill people
Personal Autonomy
Privacy
Probability
Professional Ethics
Program Evaluation
Program Evaluation - standards
Research Design - standards
Research Methodology
Service provision
Social Justice
Social Responsibility
Social Values
Social workers
Society
Statistical analysis
Studies
Substance abuse treatment
Tension
Treatment Programs
Values
Vermont
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Summary:The tension between personal privacy and public accountability produces one of the major ethical dilemmas facing behavioral health program evaluators and service system researchers. This article discusses the source of this tension and introduces a research methodology that allows program evaluators to fully and equally respect both ethical principles. This methodology uses contemporary computer and statistical technology in conjunction with aggregated, de-identified information derived from existing databases to provide valid and reliable measures of the performance of treatment programs while it protects the personal privacy of individuals.
ISSN:1094-3412
1556-3308
DOI:10.1007/BF02287515