Certification for IRB Professionals (CIP) Practice Exam

Which scenario constitutes both a breach of confidentiality and a violation of subjects' privacy?

1. A researcher sharing anonymized data with colleagues.

2. A faculty member making identifiable data about sexual behavior available to graduate students, despite the assurance of de-identification.

3. A participant discussing their study experience in public.

4. A research team failing to secure data storage properly.

The correct answer is: A faculty member making identifiable data about sexual behavior available to graduate students, despite the assurance of de-identification.

The scenario involving a faculty member making identifiable data about sexual behavior available to graduate students, despite assurances of de-identification, constitutes both a breach of confidentiality and a violation of subjects' privacy. This situation highlights a significant lapse in protecting sensitive information. When identifiable data is shared without proper safeguards, it not only violates the trust that subjects place in researchers to protect their identity but also directly compromises the privacy of those individuals involved in the study. Confidentiality refers to the obligation of researchers to protect the data their subjects provide, ensuring that such information is accessible only to authorized individuals. In this case, sharing identifiable data with graduate students creates a scenario where those subjects can be recognized, undermining the researchers' commitment to confidentiality. Moreover, privacy is concerned with the control individuals have over their personal information, and making identifiable data available without consent violates that control, making it a stark infringement on the subjects' privacy. The other scenarios do not meet both criteria. Anonymized data sharing does not breach confidentiality since the identities are removed; a participant discussing their study experience in public does not breach confidentiality, since it does not involve researchers disclosing information; and improper data storage poses a risk but does not, in itself, constitute a breach unless the data becomes accessible