Factors Influencing Managerial Disclosure of AIDS Health Information to Coworkers

Abstract

This research investigates the importance of legal concerns over lawsuits, fear of AIDS in the workplace, and gender as factors influencing a manager's decision to disclose AIDS health information to coworkers. Data was obtained from questionnaires administered to managers employed in service, manufacturing, and government organizations. Findings indicate that both fear of AIDS in the workplace and concern over lawsuits exhibited a significant relationship with the likelihood of sharing AIDS health information and gender was found to moderate the relationship between likelihood of sharing AIDS health information, and fear of AIDS in the workplace. Male managers exhibited a higher level of fear of AIDS than female managers and did female managers, were found to be somewhat less likely than male managers to share AIDS health information with cpworkers. Study findings, suggestions for future research, and implications are discussed.Communication of information in the workplace is vital to a successful business. But not all information available to managers should be shared with others. It may not be wise, or lawful, to disseminate some types of information without authorization. Employee medical records or knowledge of an employee's health status are particularly sensitive topics that should not be communicated without privilege to do so. Perhaps the most sensitive piece of medical information about an employee may be knowledge that the employee has AIDS or has tested positive for AIDS antibodies. Deciding whether, when, 'Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jusanne M. Vest, Department of Management and MIS, The University of Southern Mississippi, Southern Station, Box 5077, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5077. *The authors would like to acknowledge Fabius P. O'Brien, Ph.D., deceased, formerly an associate professor, Department of Management, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, for his detailed contribution to this project.

Effects of Workplace Monitoring Policies on Potential Employment Discrimination and Organizational Attractiveness for African Americans in the Technical Professions

“…nearly three quarters of major U.S. companies responding to a survey administered by the American Management Association (2000) said that they record and review employees' telephone calls, e-mail messages, and Internet activities. Growth in testing areas of personality, honesty, and drug use, and the ease with which personal background information can be obtained by organizations, also appear to potentially threaten workers'privacy (Bylinsky, 1991;Culnan, 1993;Smith, 1993;Vest, Vest, Perry, & O'Brien, 1995). These practices increasingly affect a wide variety of workers, including professionals and managers.…”

Student nurses' views regarding disclosure of patients' confidential information

“…The patient's information should be disseminated on a need-to-know basis only. 23 Codes of ethics for healthcare professionals have some form of confidentiality as a requirement. It was suggested that with regard to maintaining patient confidentiality during teaching and case studies, the presentation should be conducted in a seminar room, rather than at the bedside.…”

Managing HIV at the workplace: An empirical study of HIV and HR managers in Singapore.

“…Past studies investigating the relationship of AIDS fear and attitudes toward organizational privacy have yielded similar results. For example, in their study of a group of public administrators, Vest et al (1995) found that those who expressed greater fear of AIDS also reported that AIDS health records should be disclosed.…”

“…Second, this study draws attention to the potential dilemmas organizations may experience as AIDS takes its toll on Singapore. Managers may find themselves having to precariously balance conflicting interests, namely, the organization's and its employees' rights to gain access to AIDS health records as opposed to the PWHIV's right to privacy (Greene, Parrott, & Serovich, 1993; Vest, Vest, Perry, & O'Brien, 1995). It is hoped that organizations will become more aware of their responsibilities toward their employees' sense of well-being at work.…”