Center For Disease Control (CDC)

Wysocki, 2015 estimated that half of all people in the United States will have contracted a sexually transmitted disease in their lifetime. Numerous young women under age 25 haven’t been screened and are asymptotic. Infections impact individuals of all economic levels and backgrounds. Three sexually transmitted diseases are required to be reported by physicians to public health officials. These three are syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. African American and Latinos have barriers which increase rates of sexually transmitted diseases (Sutton, 2012).

The protected health information (PHI) that does not require consent from the patient, but still keeping information safe with the HIPPA law is information that has been de-identified. De-identified health information is information that has been stripped of all a patient’s personal data. There are eighteen elements that are removed before any information can be requested. The information that is stripped or made de-identified are: names, all geographical subdivisions smaller than a state, all elements dates (except year), telephone numbers, facsimile numbers, email addresses, social security numbers, medical record numbers, health plan beneficiary numbers, account numbers, vehicle identifiers including license plate numbers,

In the early 1900s, the disease syphilis was a concern for the masses especially for individuals in the African American community. It was a common belief that

In 2003, a federal law that provided privacy and security protection was imposed upon all healthcare organizations including hospitals, physician practices, health insurance companies, Medicare, Medicaid, employers, and labs, as well as other providers. With passage of this law all patients now have a right to their PHI -Protected Health Information- under HIPAA which includes the right to receive a notice of privacy practices, to copy and view information in their medical record, request amendments, receive an accounting of disclosures, request communication about medical matters, restrict the use and disclosure of their medical record, and to file a complaint about violations of privacy (Modifications to the HIPAA, 2013).

HIPAA, (Health Insurance and Portability Act of 1996) outlines rules and regulations and the rights of patients to access their healthcare information such as, notifications of privacy practices, copying and viewing medical records, and amendments. This paper explains why confidentiality is important today and discusses recourses patients can use if they believe their privacy has been violated. This paper will also discuss criminal and civil penalties’ that can occur for breaking HIPAA privacy rules.

HIPAA is the Health insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It became law in 1996. The original intent was to help employees change jobs and keep their health insurance by making their coverage portable. Later, on April 14, 2003 lawmakers broadened the law to include the Privacy Rule. Protected Health Information(PHI) is a HIPAA term, it includes all medical information of an individual. All patients health information is protected no matter what form it is in. PHI can be controlled in many forms such as backup disk or tapes, insurance statements, lab reports, prescription forms, patient form, email, etc. Five steps to comply with the Privacy Rule are:

Despite having penicillin available which is the cure for Syphilis, the participants were purposely left untreated, therefore; allowing a curable disease to take its course for the selfish purposes of this study. This intentional act allowed the group of African-American sharecroppers from Macon County, Alabama to knowingly engage in sexual activity with women and they were also exposed to this disease. Which resulted in an entire sector of society being exposed to the Syphilis disease who were not given treatment as a result of the researchers and medical practitioners choice to not disclose information pertinent to their disease and choice to withhold treatment. The participants were never given a choice about continuing in the study once penicillin did become available and they were actually prevented from getting treatment. This in essence, also violated the rights of the participants; putting them in grave danger and at the same time exposed many of these participants even to

Study participants were told nothing of their infection with syphilis. Treatment was withheld from participants, and no satisfactory treatment given for satisfactory recovery to a few. Public Health System officials denied study participants treatment and prevented other medical professionals and agencies from supplying medication and treatment.

Communicable diseases are a major concern ranging from local issues to global issues. Communicable diseases are diseases that are spread from one person to another or from an animal to a person. The transmission often happens via airborne viruses or bacteria, but also through blood or other bodily fluid. They are of major concern due to the health issues that are brought and the complications involved if not treated. This paper explores Miami Dade County communicable diseases that are mostly common. These diseases are hepatitis, tuberculosis, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. The incidence rates are given and some are even compared to the nationwide numbers. Age differences may show higher rates or lower rates. It appears that most

When confidential patient information is disclosed without consent it is a violation of the HIPAA Title II Security Rule. This rule was enacted in response to private information being leaked to the news and emails containing privileged information were read by unauthorized people. Identity theft is a real concern so patient privacy should be taken seriously. This is a rule can easily be broken without the

A good epidemiological investigator takes several steps to conduct an outbreak investigation. The first step is to discuss the disease with someone knowledgeable about the disease, ask about similar outbreaks, what has been the source, how has it been transmitted, and who is at risk of contracting the disease ( Principles of Epidemiology in Public Health Practice,2016) . It’s also important to include state and federal departments in the investigation the staff in these agencies can have more information in the outbreak. Once this is complete a hypothesis can be created. In the syphilis outbreak case a large group of young people have been diagnosed with syphilis these groups of people have interacted sexually on a regular basis. Anyone in

Syphilis is an infection caused by a bacteria called Treponema Pallidum (CDC, 2004). This bacteria is extremely fragile, and cannot be spread during contact with

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection that is caused by a bacteria called Treponema Pallidum, which by the way in adults it is split into stages, there is Primary, Secondary, and Latent. Syphilis is believed to be due to the fact that people do prostitution, the decreasing use of condoms, and unsafe sex between men or having sex with multiple partners. This disease is a common one, in the year 2014 there was about 20,000 syphilis cases reported, it was the highest rate since 1994. The rate increased mostly due to cases among men, bisexual, gay and men that have relationships with other men. It is a disease found in many countries, including Canada, Europe and the United States.

Policies, laws, and programs have been developed with the goal of improving screening and treatment rates. In the United States, the following programs have been established. Minors may be nervous to seek treatment or screening for STIs because they are afraid their parents might find out. All 50 states and the District of Columbia unambiguously allow minors to consent to STI services while maintaining confidentiality. Eleven states require that the minor be of a certain age (generally 12 or 14) before being allowed to consent to testing. Eighteen states allow physicians to inform a minor’s parents that he or she is seeking or receiving STI services, however, they are not required (Minors' Access to STI Services, 2017).

One may adapt to this sexual issue by setting off to the specialist and getting it dealt with immediately. While human services suppliers accept individuals with Stds ought not feel embarrassed or blameworthy, a lot of people additionally concede to blended feelings. "High schoolers say that they do discover it more troublesome to discuss issues like Stds than to really have intercourse" (Kaiser, 2002). Most sexually encountered adolescents indeed had not talked about the point with either their current sexual accomplice and numerous had never discussed Stds with any sexual accomplice or their medicinal services supplier. They additionally "concede they might discover it to a great degree troublesome to tell their accomplices, companions, and folks in the event that they discovered they were contaminated" (Kaiser, 2002). "Just about nine in ten high schoolers (86%) accept an individual with a STD has an extraordinary arrangement of obligation to tell their accomplices. Yet just 75% (77%) see this large amount of obligation if the contaminated individual verifies condoms are constantly utilized, and much fewer (67%) if sex just happens when he or she has no indications" (Nordenberg , 2006). Grown-ups feel all the more emphatically that those with Stds have an extraordinary arrangement of obligation to tell their accomplices, and are less affected by supporting circumstances. 7. Pick the approach that you feel best addresses and/ or takes care of the issue and portray why this