What constitutes a breach of confidentiality?

A breach of confidentiality occurs when there is a violation of privacy and the protection of sensitive information that is shared in trust. In the context of athletic training and healthcare, professionals are entrusted with personal and medical information about athletes, patients, or clients. This information must be safeguarded to maintain privacy and ensure the individual feels secure in sharing necessary details for their care.

When confidentiality is breached, it means that private information has been disclosed without the individual's consent or in a way that contradicts established policies and ethical guidelines. This could occur through careless communication, unauthorized sharing with third parties, or failure to secure records and conversations.

While other options touch on related concepts, they do not accurately define what constitutes a breach of confidentiality. For example, sharing information under all circumstances would encompass an overreach of communication rather than a specific breach. Disregarding professional ethics might lead to breaches but is a broader concept. Having knowledge of confidential details alone does not constitute a breach unless there is an unauthorized disclosure of that information.