In health promotion contexts, privacy and confidentiality refers to which of the following?

• A. Sharing health data with colleagues without consent.
• B. Protecting personal health information and using it only with consent.
• C. Publishing patient data publicly.
• D. Keeping data within one organization indefinitely.

Answer: (B)

Privacy and confidentiality in health promotion means safeguarding personal health information and using it only with the individual's consent. This protects sensitive details, maintains trust, and allows people to engage with programs knowing their information is kept secure and shared only for legitimate purposes. In practice, data is collected for a clear health aim, stored securely, accessed only by authorized staff, and disclosed only with consent or when legally required, often using de-identified data when possible. The alternative actions—sharing data without consent, publishing patient information publicly, or keeping data without appropriate governance—would breach privacy and undermine ethical practice.