In an article adapted from her book Secrets: On the Ethics of Concealment and Revelation, Bok discusses the concept of confidentiality and its relation to secrecy, privacy, and privileged communication. Three premises--autonomy over personal information, respect for shared secrets in human relationships, and obligations incurred in promises--justify confidentiality; a fourth--the benefits of confidentiality to those in need of advice, sanctuary, and aid--supports professional secrecy. The author presents examples of conflicts over confidentiality faced by health and other professionals in areas of competing legitimate claims.
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Sissela Bok (1983) studied this question.
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