Health data can be highly sensitive. The question is not only whether you can calculate a figure. It is whether you are allowed to access, use and share the information.
7.6.1 Why research ethics matters
Ethical research respects the rights, safety, dignity and privacy of the people whose information is used. This applies to hospital records, surveys, interviews, community assessments, digital collection, research datasets and public dashboards. Technical access does not make a project acceptable.
7.6.2 Confidentiality and privacy
Confidentiality is about how information is handled and disclosed. Privacy is about people's interest in how information about them is collected and used. Collect only what is necessary. Restrict access. Use secure storage and approved sharing. Remove direct identifiers from practice files. Do not put identifiable details in a report. Follow the applicable law and the organisation's policy. Removing a name does not always make a file anonymous. A combination of details can still identify a person.
7.6.3 Use fictional or properly de-identified data for practice
For Excel, Power BI and these exercises, use fictional data, synthetic records, an approved training file, or properly de-identified data whose use is authorised. Do not upload identifiable patient records to a public tool, personal cloud storage, or any system that has not been approved.
Nigeria Data Protection Act and ethics review
In Nigeria, personal data, including health information, is protected under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA). A patient registry is not a practice file. Before you use one, confirm that you have a lawful basis, that access is limited to authorised people, and that a Health Research Ethics Committee or the institution has reviewed the work where that review is required. HIMForward teaches the principle. It does not grant approval, and it is not the data protection authority. If you are unsure whether a file may be used, stop and ask the organisation that controls it.
7.6.4 Informed consent
When you collect information directly from people, informed consent may be required. Participants should know the purpose, what participation involves, how the information will be used, the relevant risks and safeguards, that participation is voluntary, and how to raise a concern. The exact rule depends on the study, the law, the institution and the population. Some work needs an ethics committee. An online survey is not automatically exempt.
7.6.5 Research approval and authorisation
Who owns or controls the data.
Whether you have permission to access it.
Whether ethical review is required.
Whether the institution must approve the work.
Which data protection rules apply.
Whether sharing or publication is authorised.
7.6.6 Responsible reporting
Report honestly. Do not invent or alter a result. Acknowledge limits. Separate facts from interpretation. Do not identify people unnecessarily. Cite published work you rely on. Explain the method and the source. Never change a result so that a project looks successful.
Lesson 7.6 knowledge check
Choose an answer for each question, then check. The suggested answers stay hidden until you do.
1. You want to practise dashboard design. Which dataset is the safest default?
2. Does removing patient names always guarantee anonymity?