Exploring Health Professionals’ Perspectives on Patient Confidentiality and Contributing Factors in Resource-Limited Environments

Abstract

Patient confidentiality is a fundamental ethical and legal obligation for healthcare professionals and a critical component of high-quality patient care. However, maintaining confidentiality in resource-limited environments presents significant challenges. This research explores health professionals’ perspectives on patient confidentiality and the factors influencing their knowledge, awareness, and behaviors in such settings. 323 health professionals participated, using an organized, individually conducted questionnaire established on expert validation and appropriate influencing factors. The research examined socio-demographic, work-related, and institutional factors that can impact health professionals’ perspectives on patient confidentiality. The data was analyzed using SPSS 25.0, employing descriptive statistics, t-tests, and regression analysis to assess the relationships between variables. The results indicate that only 29,5 % of participants exhibited positive behaviors toward patient confidentiality, while 42,2 % demonstrated good knowledge, and 30,3 % were aware of confidentiality principles. The findings reveal that while healthcare professionals possess a reasonable understanding of patient confidentiality, their behavioral adherence remains limited. Strengthening training programs, institutional policies and ethical awareness initiatives is crucial to enhancing healthcare professionals’ knowledge and behaviors, ultimately fostering patient trust, legal compliance, and improved healthcare quality in resource-limited environments.