Disclosure Attitudes Research Articles

Transparency, disclosure and autonomy: Moral judgment and attitudes toward branded content among media workers

This study extends the media sociology literature on moral judgment by comparing moral orientations among journalists and non-journalistic media professionals as well as attitudinal differences regarding branded content and related perceptions of transparency, disclosure standards, and perceived job autonomy. Based on a survey sample of the Online News Association membership ( n = 226), journalists placed greater emphasis on organizational disclosure standards than non-journalist counterparts, and branded-content producers had less favorable attitudes toward disclosure. Also, perceived disclosure standards of their organizations negatively predicted individuals’ disclosure attitude. Regression modeling showed morally related variables accounted for a small but notable variance in disclosure-related attitudes.

Entertainment-education to reduce internalized stigma, increase intimate partner status disclosure intentions, and increase antiretroviral medical adherence intentions: A randomized controlled trial targeting black women living with HIV in the Southern U.S.

BackgroundBlack women in the Southern U.S. account for 67% of all new HIV diagnoses across women of all races and ethnicities. In comparison to women of other racial and ethnic identities, Black women disproportionately experience internalized stigma, lower levels of disclosure self-efficacy, and lower rates of medical adherence. The disclosure processes model hypothesizes that persons living with HIV can be disclosure avoidance oriented or disclosure approach oriented. Disclosure avoidance is facilitated by various forms of stigma and negative outcome expectations. While disclosure approach orientation is facilitated by factors such as positive disclosure attitudes and disclosure self-efficacy. Despite the important role of disclosure in ending the HIV epidemic, extant interventions are limited. Recent research suggests entertainment-education (EE) may be an effective intervention for HIV status disclosure. Entertainment-education is a persuasive strategy that consists of intentionally embedding health and social messages into entertaining content. MethodsThe present study evaluated the comparative efficacy of the 90 DAYS film for improving internalized HIV stigma, disclosure beliefs, positive disclosure attitudes, disclosure self-efficacy, HIV disclosure intentions, and medical adherence intentions. A randomized controlled trial was employed consisting of 130 Black women living with HIV in the Southern U.S. Participants were recruited primarily via a Qualtrics panel and randomly assigned to either view the 90 DAYS film or a standard of care brochure. ResultsResults indicated the EE condition significantly outperformed the brochure condition on the following outcomes: disclosure beliefs (p = .046), positive disclosure attitudes (p = .008), disclosure self-efficacy (p = .007), and intentions to disclose to an intimate partner (p = .038). Statistically significant differences were not observed for internalized stigma or medical adherence intentions. ConclusionFindings suggest that EE is an effective strategy for improving psychosocial influences of disclosure and disclosure intentions. Theoretical and practical implications of this work are discussed.

Genital Herpes Disclosure Attitudes Among Men Who Have Sex with Men.

An abundance of literature interested in sexually transmitted infections-related disclosure attitudes among MSM (men who have sex with men) exists. However, comparatively few studies have examined these with respect to genital herpes. This cross-sectional study examined attitudes about herpes-related disclosure among Houston MSM. Convenience sampling at Houston-based MSM venues and events was conducted during December 2018 and January 2019 with 302 participants recruited. Participants were asked if an individual with genital herpes should disclose to others and if they would disclose to others if they had/have genital herpes. Factors associated with decreased belief that someone should disclose a genital herpes infection to others were history of genital herpes (OR 0.14, 95% CI [0.04, 0.55]) and race other than white, black, or Hispanic/Latino (OR 0.34, 95% CI [0.15, 0.77]). History of 0 to 1 sexual partner(s) in the past year was associated with increased belief that an individual should disclose (OR 2.43, 95% CI [1.19, 4.98]), while self-reported history of genital herpes was associated with decreased intent to disclose one's own infection to potential partners (OR 0.30, 95% CI [0.10, 0.91]). Self-reported history of genital herpes was associated with decreased belief that someone with genital herpes should tell others and with decreased likelihood to disclose one's own status. Lastly, race other than white, black, or Hispanic/Latino was associated with increased belief that someone with genital herpes should not tell others. Normalization of genital herpes could bolster intent to disclose genital herpes infection and improve sexual outcomes.

Attitudes of Physicians in Jordan Towards Non-Disclosure of Health Information.

ObjectivesThis report aims to investigate the attitudes of physicians in Jordan towards non-disclosure of health information among physicians, with a focus on those who are ‘always truthful’ and those who are not.MethodsThe report is based on the second subset of data from a cross-sectional study—conducted between January and August 2016—of the truth disclosure practices among and attitudes of physicians in Jordan. The sample consisted of 240 physicians selected from four major hospitals by stratified random sampling and invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire regarding truth disclosure attitudes. The attitudes of physicians who were ‘always truthful’ were compared with those who were not.ResultsA total of 164 physicians (response rate: 68%) completed the questionnaire. Of these, 17 (10%) were ‘always truthful’, while the remaining 144 (90%) were not. Physicians who were ‘always truthful’ were more likely to indicate that non-disclosure is ‘unethical’ (77% versus 39%; P = 0.009). Moreover, physicians who were ‘always truthful’ were more likely to disagree that non-disclosure is beneficial for the physical and psychological health of patients (82% versus 55%; P = 0.03). Most of the surveyed physicians agreed that all patients have the right to know their diagnosis, most patients prefer to know their diagnosis and the introduction of legislation to enforce disclosure would positively affect medical practice in Jordan.ConclusionThe differential attitudes of physicians who were ‘always truthful’ and those who were ‘not always truthful’ suggests a rationale behind independent non-disclosure; namely, that non-disclosure is ethically justifiable and beneficial for the physical and psychological health of patients.

The Utilization of New Media in the Establishment of Virtual Community

Virtual community is a new form of communication for digital society due to the potential use of new media. New media has led people to live in virtual reality. This study aims to determine the use of the Line application for #WeAreHere virtual community, to analyze the factors that encourage self-dislosure of community members, and to find out how community members build trust in the community. This research is a qualitative research using participatory observation method. Based on social exchange theory, the concept of self-disclosure and the trust building approach showed that self-disclosure and trust building are formed simultaneously. This research found that members' self-disclosures are driven by cost-benefit considerations. The benefits perceived by members from disclosure attitude are a feeling relieved or serenity and getting support from each other when interacting. The members' trust is formed because of trust in others through the attitudes and behavior of members, and trust in Line Square services on the Line application that provides anonymous features.

Attitudes towards disclosing a mental illness: impact on quality of life and recovery

PurposeThe decision whether to disclose a mental illness has individual and social consequences. Secrecy may protect from stigma and discrimination while disclosure can increase social support and facilitate help-seeking. Therefore, disclosure decisions are a key reaction to stigma. The first aim of this study was to test a newly developed scale to measure disclosure attitudes, the Attitudes to Disclosure Questionnaire (AtDQ). The second aim was to examine the impact of attitudes towards disclosing a mental illness on quality of life and recovery.MethodsAmong 100 participants with mental illness, disclosure attitudes, quality of life, recovery, benefits of disclosure, secrecy, social withdrawal, self-stigma, and depressive symptoms were assessed at weeks 0, 3 and 6. Psychometric properties of the AtDQ were analysed. Longitudinal associations between disclosure attitudes at baseline and quality of life and recovery after 6 weeks were examined in linear regressions.ResultsThe analyses of the AtDQ indicated one-factor solutions, high acceptability, high internal consistency, and good retest reliability for the total scale and the subscales as well as high construct validity of the total scale. Results provided initial support for sensitivity to change. More positive disclosure attitudes in general and in particular regarding to family at baseline predicted better quality of life and recovery after 6 weeks.ConclusionThe current study provides initial support for the AtDQ as a useful measure of disclosure attitudes. Disclosing a mental illness, especially with respect to family, may improve quality of life and recovery of people with mental illness.

Managing privacy paradox through national culture: Reshaping online retailing strategy

Data privacy is a threat to the future of e-commerce. Consumers face a dilemma in balancing the risks and benefits associated with online privacy, leading to a phenomenon termed the privacy paradox. The study interviewed 30 Millennials representing 13 countries using a grounded theory approach to explore the influence of national culture on the information disclosure attitude in the context of online retailing. The study presents a novel framework, Privacy Paradox Pyramid, to manage the privacy paradox through the lens of national culture, enabling retailers to segment the customers and design a tailored approach to create a competitive advantage.

The Impact of Moral Injury and Disclosure of Military Experiences on Veterans

While many veterans face physical, psychological, and spiritual difficulties, research suggests that the reintegration process from military service to civilian life, is a complex one. Our study focused on the role of moral injury and the disclosure of military experience in this transition, and how they might combine to affect veterans’ life satisfaction. We gave a battery of surveys to a large and diverse sample of veterans, measuring aspects of military culture and service, the moral ramifications of military experiences and attitudes and experiences with disclosing these experiences to civilians. Most important, we found that greater moral injury was associated with greater concerns about disclosure. Greater disclosure concerns were associated with lower perceptions of disclosure support, which in turn was associated with lower life satisfaction. We conclude that these findings suggest that a more nuanced account is required to fully understand the relationship between moral injury, disclosure attitudes, and life satisfaction. For promoting healthy reintegration and greater satisfaction with life, and we discuss several possibilities for future research.

Disclosure and Quality of Life Among Unemployed Individuals With Mental Health Problems: A Longitudinal Study.

Unemployment and mental disorders are associated with impaired quality of life. Because of the stigma associated with mental illness, unemployed individuals with mental health problems face the difficult decision whether to disclose their condition to others. Disclosure has both risks and benefits, and it is unclear how it affects quality of life. We therefore examined disclosure attitudes at baseline as predictors of quality of life after 6 months and also assessed social support, depressive symptoms, self-stigma, and perceived discrimination among 301 unemployed individuals with mental health problems. Better quality of life at follow-up was predicted by better attitudes toward disclosure among family and friends, shorter length of unemployment, less symptoms, and, at a trend level, less self-stigma at baseline. Thus disclosure in one's private environment may improve quality of life among unemployed individuals with mental health problems.

The role of disclosure attitudes in the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity and perceived social support among emergency service workers

The social-interpersonal framework model of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Maercker and Horn, 2012) highlights the relevance of interpersonal factors in the development and maintenance of PTSD symptoms. Therefore, the present study examined the role of self-perceived disclosure abilities to elucidate the well-known link between PTSD symptom severity and social support. In a cross-sectional design, 131 emergency service workers completed the Impact of Event Scale (IES-R), the Disclosure of Trauma Questionnaire (DTQ) and the Social Acknowledgement Questionnaire (SAQ) as well as answering trauma-specific questions to provide in-depth information regarding their experiences in potentially traumatic incidents and subsequent social interactions. We reveal the predescribed association between PTSD symptom severity and social support. However, bootstrap mediation analyses reveal the self-referential perceptions of disclosure abilities, particularly a reluctance to talk, to fully account for the link between PTSD symptom severity and social acknowledgement. Our findings strongly support the relevance of the self-perceived disclosure abilities in the processing of traumatic events. A reluctance to speak is associated with more severe PTSD symptoms and with lower levels of social support; therefore, facilitating and encouraging disclosure in individuals who feel unable to disclose traumatic contents may be clinically relevant in preventing feelings of social disapproval and isolation.

Quantification and factors associated with HIV-related stigma among persons living with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy at the HIV-day care unit of the Bamenda Regional Hospital, North West Region of Cameroon

BackgroundThe Human Immunodeficiency Virus /Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is not just a medical problem but its social impact is increasingly affecting its effective management. The fear of HIV-stigma constitutes a major barrier to HIV testing, prevention, uptake and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). We aimed to quantify HIV-related stigma, and identify the factors associated with high HIV-related stigma among persons living with HIV and AIDS (PLHIVA) and on ART.MethodsA hospital-based cross sectional analytic survey targeting PLHIVA on ART at the HIV-day care unit of the Bamenda Regional Hospital of Cameroon was conducted from February to April 2016. A total of 308 eligible and willing participants were consecutively included in the survey. Data were collected using a pretested questionnaire designed from the Berger HIV stigma scale and analyzed using Epi info 3.5.4.ResultsThe mean age of the 308 participants was 40.1±10.2 years. The mean overall HIV/AIDS related stigma score was 88.3 ± 18.80 which corresponds to a moderate level of stigma according to the Berger stigma scale. Further analysis revealed that most participants suffered from moderate forms of the different subtypes of stigma including: personalized (49.8%), disclosure (66.4%), negative self-image (50.0%) and public attitude (52.1%) stigmatization. It was estimated that 62.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 57.8–68.9%) of the participants lived with high levels of HIV-related stigma. After controlling for gender, religion, age and occupation, level of education below tertiary (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 0.70 [95% CI = 0.44–0.91]; p = 0.036) and a duration from diagnosis below 5 years (AOR = 1.74 [95% CI = 1.01–3.00]; p = 0.046) were significantly associated with high HIV-related stigma.ConclusionAbout three out of every five PLHIVA receiving ART in Bamenda Regional Hospital still experience high levels of HIV-related stigma. This occurs more frequently in participants with low educational status, and who may have known their HIV status for less than 5 years. Anti-HIV-stigma programs in the North West Region need strengthening with intensified psychosocial follow-up of newly diagnosed cases.

Attitudes Toward Disclosing a Mental Health Problem and Reemployment: A Longitudinal Study.

Despite low unemployment rates, individuals with mental health problems often struggle to gain reemployment. Many face the decision whether to disclose their mental illness to employers. This study therefore examined the role of disclosure attitudes for reemployment over time. Clinical and job search variables as well as attitudes toward disclosing a mental health issue to an employer were assessed among 301 unemployed individuals with mental health problems. Predictors of reemployment at 6-month follow-up were assessed using multiple regression, adjusted for sociodemographic variables, unemployment length, and depressive symptoms. Greater reluctance to disclose mental health problems at baseline predicted reemployment after 6 months. Reemployment was also associated with male sex, better education, lower disability levels, and more job offers at baseline. Therefore, a cautious approach toward disclosing a mental health problem may facilitate short-term reemployment. It is unclear whether this is a successful long-term strategy in employment settings.

Sperm donor conception and disclosure to children: a 10-year retrospective follow-up study of parental attitudes in one French center for the study and preservation of eggs and sperm (CECOS)

To evaluate the percentage of parents in one French center for the study and preservation of eggs and sperm who disclose their use of donated spermatozoa to their children. A questionnaire survey of couples who had a child using donated spermatozoa. University hospital laboratory. One hundred five couples. Questionnaire sent by mail. The percentage of parents who disclose their use of donated spermatozoa to their child. Among the 157 questionnaires sent, 105 couples answered, which corresponded to 138 children. There were 40 (38%) couples who had already disclosed the donor origin to their child and 65 (62%) who had not. Of the 40 couples who disclosed the donor origin, 37 (93%) had intended to do so before making use of assisted reproductive techniques (ART), but two (5%) had not wanted to do so before ART. Among the 65 couples who did not inform their child, 42 (65%) planned to inform their child soon, but 20 (31%) wanted to keep the sperm origin secret. Of the 20 couples who wanted to keep the origin secret, nine couples had told other persons about the gamete donation but had not informed their child and do not intend to inform their child in the future. This first report about disclosure attitude in a large cohort of parents of donor-conceived offspring in France showed that most parents had already disclosed their use of donated spermatozoa to their children or intended to disclose it soon and had an attitude after birth consistent with their intentions prior to ART.

Voluntary disclosure, greenhouse gas emissions and business performance: Assessing the first decade of reporting

This study explores the empirical relationships between GHG emissions and an extensive range of business performance measures for UK FTSE-350 listed firms over the first decade or so of such reporting. Despite the popular and policy generated environmental imperatives over this period—along with growing evidence of the corporate added-value of having an ‘environmental conscience’, voluntary disclosure of emissions has been slow to adopt by firms. The leading contribution is to present clear evidence of a non-linear relationship, initially increasing with firm performance and then decreasing. An extensive pattern of non-reporting of emissions is also observed over time, and prior literature has introduced questions of endogeneity existing between firm performance and emissions. Steps are taken to ensure confidence/robustness of the results to these concerns. Accordingly, a two-stage (Heckman-type) selection model is used to analyse the emissions-performance nexus conditional upon the firm choosing to report (i.e. treating the choice to report as being endogenously determined with firm performance). From this—in addition to confirming the robustness of the non-linear relationship—it can be observed that the decision to report emissions is not directly influenced by wider social/governance disclosure attitudes of a firm, thus suggesting that firms disassociate environmental responsibility from social responsibility.

The Adolescent HIV Disclosure Cognition and Affect Scale: Preliminary Reliability and Validity.

Globally, there are 2 million HIV-positive 10-19-year-olds. One challenge for this population is sharing their HIV status with others (onward HIV disclosure). There are no multi-item, multidimensional scales of HIV disclosure cognitions and affect for young people living with HIV. An 18-item measure of HIV disclosure cognition and affect was developed, administered to 65 adolescents living with HIV (aged 12-16 years). Data were explored using principal component analysis and preliminary construct and criterion validity assessed. Three factors were revealed: negative disclosure attitudes and feelings, self-efficacy, and positive disclosure attitudes and feelings. The full scale and its subscales were internally consistent. The total score showed statistically significant positive relationships with HIV disclosure in the past 6 months, HIV disclosure intention and self-perception. Preliminary evidence of the measure's good psychometric properties suggests it may be helpful in future clinical and research work.

Variations in Adolescent Disclosure Among Latinas

This study examines attitudes toward adolescent disclosure among a diverse sample of Latina adolescents. Using ecological and acculturation frameworks, this qualitative, exploratory study analyzes responses from 18 Latina adolescents to open-ended, semi-structured questions from the National Study of Youth and Religion on family relationships, morality, and religion, to explore disclosure attitudes. Results suggest high disclosure to mothers, particularly by Latinas from low-income and religiously congruent families. Fathers' long work hours and singular religiosity thwart disclosure to them, and family structure, migration, and nativity influence whether adolescent Latinas disclose information to parents. Latino cultural values of respeto and marianismo did not emerge as salient themes. A common theme among participants was a desire for closer, open relationships with parents to enable disclosure of important occurrences in their lives.

Attitudes of Research Participants and the General Public Regarding Disclosure of Alzheimer Disease Research Results.

Results of Alzheimer disease (AD) research assessments typically are not disclosed to participants. Recent research has suggested interest in disclosure, but, to our knowledge, few studies have accounted for awareness of potential benefits and limitations of disclosure. To determine the attitudes of cognitively normal research participants and members of the general public regarding disclosure of AD research results. Participants in a longitudinal aging study (Alzheimer Disease Research Center [ADRC]) were given preintervention and postintervention surveys about disclosure attitudes. In a general public sample (The American Panel Survey), participants responded to a similar survey about disclosure attitudes. Participants in the ADRC sample were randomly assigned to a group (n = 119) that read an education intervention about the usefulness of AD biomarkers or to a placebo group (n = 100) that read as its intervention general information about the ADRC. Participants in the general public sample read a brief vignette describing participation in a longitudinal AD study. Interest in disclosure of AD research results. Cognitively normal ADRC participants (n = 219) were 60.7% (n = 133) female, 83.6% (n = 183) of white race, and reported a mean of 15.91 years of education. Twenty-nine individuals refused participation. The American Panel Survey participants (n = 1418) indicated they did not have AD and were 50.5% (n = 716) female, 76.7% (n = 1087) of white race, and reported a mean of 13.85 years of education. Overall, 77.6% of eligible participants (1583 of 2041) completed the survey in July 2014. Interest in disclosure was high among the ADRC participants (55.1% [119 of 216] were "extremely interested"). Viewing the education intervention predicted lower interest in disclosure (odds ratio, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.15-3.53; P = .02). High subjective risk of AD, a family history of AD, and minimal attendance at research meetings were associated with high interest after the intervention. In the general public, interest was lower overall (12.5% [174 of 1389] were "extremely interested"), but the subset of participants most likely to join an AD research study reported higher interest (43.5% [40 of 92] were extremely interested). Experience with AD appears to increase interest in disclosure of AD research results. Learning about potential limitations of disclosure somewhat tempered interest. These findings should inform the development of disclosure policies for asymptomatic individuals in AD studies.

Should Medical Errors Be Disclosed to Pediatric Patients? Pediatricians' Attitudes Toward Error Disclosure

ObjectiveLimited data exist on medical error disclosure in pediatrics. We sought to assess physicians' attitudes toward error disclosure to parents and pediatric patients. MethodsAn anonymous survey was distributed to 1200 members of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Surveys included 1 of 4 possible cases that only varied by patient age (16 or 9 years old) and by whether the medical error resulted in reversible or irreversible harm. Statistical analyses included chi-square, Bonferroni-adjusted P values, Fisher's exact test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, and logistic regressions including key demographic factors, patient age, and error reversibility. ResultsThe response rate was 40% (474 of 1186). Overall, 98% of respondents believed it was very important to disclose medical errors to parents versus 57% to pediatric patients (P < .0001). Respondents believed that medical errors could be disclosed to developmentally appropriate pediatric patients at a mean age of 12.15 years old (SD 3.33), but not below a mean age of 10.25 years old (SD 3.55). Most respondents (72%) believed that physicians and parents should jointly decide whether to disclose to pediatric patients. When disclosing to pediatric patients, 88% of respondents believed that physicians should disclose with the parents present. Logistic regressions found only patient age (odds ratio 18.65, 95% confidence interval 9.20–37.8) and error reversibility (odds ratio 2.90, 95% confidence interval 1.73–4.86) to affect attitudes toward disclosure to pediatric patients. Respondent sex, year of medical school graduation, and area of practice had no effect on disclosure attitudes. ConclusionsMost respondents endorse disclosing medical errors to parents and older pediatric patients, particularly when irreversible harm occurs.

Exploiting User Behavior Changes in Privacy Disclosure by Modified Clustering Technique

The analysis of user behaviors has been an important subject in recommending research recently. This paper proposes a modified clustering technique, showing that users privacy disclosure may change when they are answering the information requests, and we argues that their attitudes, including risk, useful, appropriate, played an important role behind those changes. We presented the new data structure in our dataset that would be loaded to experiment, e.g. personal information requests, users’ answers to those requests, and most importantly, users cluster and attitude for later analysis. Our modified clustering technique would not only locate users privacy disclosure change by comparing the results from learning their past disclosure behaviors and from learning their current disclosures, but also exploit the relationship between the inconsistence in those two results and their attitudes. The data containing users’ answers to a questionnaire with personal information requests was integrated to analyze their disclosure behaviors and attitude with the proposed clustering technique. We indeed find some interesting connections between their privacy disclosure change and attitudes, and the exploration of this paper could benefit to any researchers and online community owners who focusing on user-centered strategies and personal-information-requesting issues.

The knowledge, perception, and attitude of patients living with glaucoma and attending the eye clinic of a secondary health care facility in South-East, Nigeria

Background: In the developing countries, most patients present with advanced disease or glaucoma blindness. This has been attributed to lack of awareness and poor knowledge as major contributing factors. The outcome of glaucoma management, however, depends largely on the understanding and perception of the illness by the patients. Objectives: This study aims to determine the knowledge, perception, and attitude of patients living with glaucoma and attending the Eye Clinic of the Imo State Specialist Hospital Owerri Imo State, Nigeria. The information obtained can be utilized by the health authorities in planning eye health education programs. Subjects and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving all previously diagnosed glaucoma patients attending the eye clinic of the hospital during the study period. Data were collected on knowledge, perception, and social disclosure attitude of the subjects using a structured questionnaire. Results: Twenty-nine males and 25 females participated in this study. The majority (42.6%) had only primary school education with petty trading accounting for 38.9% of the different occupations. The mean age at presentation was 60.9 years. The majority (88.8%) identified their eye problem as glaucoma, 46.3% knew it caused a progressive, irreversible loss of vision, and most (68.5%) did not know glaucoma to be familial. Approximately 67% of the subjects rated their management as satisfactory, 37% considered the drugs expensive, 70% and 13%, respectively had no, and negative perception of glaucoma surgery while 87.0% had a poor disclosure attitude. Conclusion: The subjects had a good knowledge of their diagnosis but a poor knowledge of the disease process. There was also an appreciable poor disclosure attitude and a negative perception of glaucoma surgery. Education and interaction with eye care personnel and other glaucoma patients using focal groups may bring about the desired change.