Confidentiality refers to the protection of the personal information and identity of the subjects. For example, experts in any one of the social sciences may refer to their patients or case studies to produce a quantitative research report. Often, researchers are dealing with sensitive information used toward the report to promote understanding of the human condition. If the subjects' identities are exposed, it could cause harm to their lives, as well as embarrassment and judgment, any of which may result in an adverse experience for the patient. Ethically, researchers have a responsibility to keep certain information confidential, especially if it is the express wish of the subject. Even with the subjects' agreement, irrelevant personal information should never be disclosed in a quantitative or other research report.
Confidentiality is also important from a professional standpoint. Quantitative reports are often published and shared in social science journals and books. What lies at the heart of a credible and reliable quantitative report is the researcher's ability to adhere to the standard and professional protocols when it comes to producing a report. Reports must follow certain professional guidelines to be considered credible, and this includes respecting confidentiality and being able to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information.
Quantitative research depends highly on the cooperation and participation of patients and others who are relevant to a case study. Without confidentiality agreements, patients and subjects have no way to guarantee that their rights to privacy and confidentiality will be respected. Confidentiality agreements play a role in building the foundation of trust and rapport between researchers and subjects. In essence, the production of quantitative reports may not be possible without the security of confidentiality agreements, and thus learning about social sciences would be severely restricted. The bottom line is that subjects will not share sensitive information if they do not trust researchers, and this will diminish the value of the quantitative report.
The challenge for researchers is to find a balance for respecting a subject's right to confidentiality and accessing and publishing information that will benefit the study. This requires an extensive research into what the quantitative report is about and how to explain and display the information in a manner that does not reveal or expose private and confidential information on behalf of the subject. Some quantitative reports are able express statistical data in a way that does not reveal private information, whereas, confidential information is displayed as a part of the project. Another issue at heart is the method to obtaining confidential information, whether it is on a case-by-case basis or through surveys and customer questionnaires. When collecting and compiling information, researchers should respect the ethical and professional practices expected of them in their profession.