Consent, confidentiality and curing sexually transmitted infection: an ethical trilemma

When treating contacts of patients with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), health professionals may face conflicting ethical imperatives. We surveyed middle grade doctors in genitourinary (GU) medicine and asked how they would manage a hypothetical clinical scenario. This was analysed on the ba...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inInternational journal of STD & AIDS Vol. 22; no. 5; p. 281
Main Author Dunphy, K P
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England 01.05.2011
Subjects
Confidentiality - ethics
Contact Tracing - ethics
Ethics, Medical
Female
Humans
Informed Consent - ethics
Male
Physicians
Sexually Transmitted Diseases - diagnosis
Sexually Transmitted Diseases - drug therapy
Sexually Transmitted Diseases - prevention & control
Surveys and Questionnaires
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:When treating contacts of patients with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), health professionals may face conflicting ethical imperatives. We surveyed middle grade doctors in genitourinary (GU) medicine and asked how they would manage a hypothetical clinical scenario. This was analysed on the basis of principles of respect for autonomy and beneficence/non-maleficence to assess how they weigh up duties of informed consent (autonomy of patient), partner confidentiality (autonomy of partner) and the need to achieve a good medical outcome. Responses indicated that the strategies that they employ in practice - what they actually say to patients (and what they leave unsaid) - balance the conflicting requirements of these ethical principles in quite different ways, some of which appear ethically problematic.
ISSN:1758-1052
DOI:10.1258/ijsa.2009.009373