Academic Journal
Patients' perspectives and experiences of privacy: A qualitative study.
| Τίτλος: | Patients' perspectives and experiences of privacy: A qualitative study. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Tarakcioglu Celik GH; Department of Fundamentals of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey., Ariburnu O; Department of Fundamentals of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey., Dinc L; Department of Fundamentals of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. |
| Πηγή: | Nursing ethics [Nurs Ethics] 2026 Aug; Vol. 33 (5), pp. 1545-1558. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Apr 09. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: SAGE Publications Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9433357 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1477-0989 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 09697330 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Nurs Ethics Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: London : SAGE Publications Original Publication: London, U.K. : Edward Arnold, c1994- |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Privacy*/psychology , Confidentiality* , Perception*, Interviews as Topic/methods ; Humans ; Qualitative Research ; Turkey ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Aged |
| Περίληψη: | BackgroundPatient privacy is a fundamental value and core ethical principle in healthcare. In Turkey, privacy is protected by legal regulations while also shaped by cultural and religious norms, which together influence how it is perceived and practiced in clinical settings.AimThis study explores how adult hospitalized patients perceive and experience patient privacy.Research DesignA descriptive qualitative approach guided by COREQ checklist was employed.Participants and Research ContextPurposive sampling was used to ensure variation, and thirty-three adult inpatients from general medical and surgical wards in five hospitals across Ankara participated in the study between the period of October and November 2024. Data collection involved face-to-face semi-structured interviews, and data saturation was reached when no additional findings, codes, or themes emerged. Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic analysis was applied to analyze the data. Some of the patient statements were included to illustrate key points.Ethical ConsiderationsApproval was granted by the Hacettepe University Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee (ID: 2023/08-24). All participants provided written and verbal informed consent.ResultsFour main themes emerged: (1) "The concept of privacy"-patients viewing privacy as a moral and human right connected to bodily integrity; (2) "Perception of patient privacy"-including bodily, informational, and emotional aspects; (3) "Protection of patient privacy"-practices that promote feelings of safety, well-being, and respect; (4) "Violation of patient privacy"-experiences that evoke fear, regret, and avoidance of healthcare. Cultural and religious norms-especially modesty and confidentiality-strongly shape perceptions.ConclusionsPatient privacy in Turkey is shaped by ethical, legal, and cultural values. Culturally sensitive patient care that respects patients' physical, informational, and emotional boundaries is essential. To promote trust-based, ethical practice, we recommend improving environmental arrangements, enhancing data security measures, and providing ongoing ethics education for healthcare professionals. |
| Competing Interests: | Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Turkey; cultural sensitivity; patient experiences; privacy; qualitative research |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260410 Date Completed: 20260729 Latest Revision: 20260729 |
| Update Code: | 20260730 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/09697330261441781 |
| PMID: | 41958060 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1477-0989 |
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| DOI: | 10.1177/09697330261441781 |