Name two ethical considerations in health data collection.

• A. Collecting data without consent
• B. Informed consent and protecting privacy/security of data
• C. Data collection is always anonymous
• D. Data should be stored indefinitely

Answer: (B)

Honoring individuals’ autonomy and safeguarding their information are central to ethical health data collection. The best approach centers on obtaining informed consent and protecting privacy and data security.

Informed consent means people understand what data will be collected, how it will be used, who may access it, potential risks and benefits, and their rights to withdraw. This respects their ability to decide whether to participate and how their information is handled. It also builds trust between researchers or practitioners and the people whose data are being used.

Protecting privacy and security means implementing practical safeguards so data are kept confidential and protected from unauthorized access, breaches, or misuse. This includes collecting only what is necessary, de-identifying or anonymizing data when possible, applying strong access controls and encryption, and having clear policies for data access, retention, and breach response. Following legal and ethical standards in handling health information reinforces trust and minimizes harm.

Why the other ideas don’t fit: collecting data without consent ignores personal autonomy and can erode trust and safety; assuming data are always anonymous is not reliable because identities can often be re-identified or linked with other data; storing data indefinitely increases the risk of harm if a breach occurs and isn’t inherently ethical.