How Does Data Privacy Impact Epidemiological Research?
Data privacy is a significant concern in epidemiological research. Protecting patient confidentiality is paramount, as breaches can undermine trust in public health systems and deter individuals from participating in research. Regulations such as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and HIPAA in the US set guidelines for data handling. Researchers must balance the need for data access with the protection of individual privacy through de-identification, data encryption, and secure data sharing agreements.
