The practice of confidentiality in an Aboriginal medical service--what do GPs need to know?
BACKGROUND
The medical ethic of confidentiality is usually taught from a western ethical perspective based on the Hippocratic oath. This study at an urban Aboriginal medical service aimed to explore how confidentiality is understood in a community controlled Aboriginal health service, with a view to informing the training of general practitioners.


METHODS
Twenty-three people, comprising staff, patients and general practice registrars, were interviewed about confidentiality between July 2007 and February 2008.


RESULTS
Six themes were identified: overlapping contexts of confidentiality, key sensitivities, sharing of patient information, importance of consent, multiple roles, and consequences of maintaining or breaching confidentiality.


CONCLUSIONS
Perspectives on confidentiality in this community included issues of social justice, the importance of public demonstrations of confidentiality, and the challenge of protecting all relationships when staff have multiple roles. Incorporation of community perspectives into the teaching of confidentiality may help doctors to understand the responsibilities of practising confidentiality in certain communities.
James
Jenny
J
Aboriginal Medical Service Western Sydney, Mt Druitt, New South Wales. jenny@prosentient.com.au
Cameron
Sonya
S
Usherwood
Tim
T
D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D003219:Confidentiality; D054521:Cultural Competency / Q000193:education*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education* / Q000941:ethics; D005260:Female; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000941:ethics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D019982:Organizational Case Studies