EMERGING AREAS OF HUMAN HEALTH.

Running head: EMERGING AREAS OF HUMAN HEALTH 1
The Emerging Areas of Human Health
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

EMERGING AREAS OF HUMAN HEALTH 2
The Emerging Areas of Human Health
Genetic research has led to the adoption of advanced approaches in human health.
Currently, there is a better understanding of the genetic components of the various diseases such
as cancer sickle cell anemia, screening processes, diagnosis, and treatment due to dynamic
genetic researches. Besides, nurses play a critical role in genetic- and genomic-related activities
such as obtaining consent for genetic examinations. However, the privacy and confidentiality of
genetic information and the potential misuse of this information undermine the rights of clients
in decision-making and action processes.
Clients demand privacy to their personal information while the nurses are obligated to
maintain the confidentiality of their clients’ information (Dheensa et al., 2016). However, a
dilemma arises when a client’s genetic testing results reveal health risks to other family members
other than only to the client who chooses not to reveal the information to the extended family. In
such circumstances, the nurses need to seek counsel from the Ethics board at their institutions
before revealing the information to the client’s family (Dheensa et al., 2016). As a patient
advocate, I will use ethical principles when deliberating genetic-related decision-making on
privacy and confidentiality.
The potential misuse of genetic information breeds fears of discrimination. Clients and
their families may detest undergoing genetic testing due to the fear of losing their jobs or health
insurances once their employer knows their genetic statuses (Prince & Roche, 2014). The
employers may term them as financial liabilities. Setting up laws and regulations that protect
genetic information will prevent such discriminations (Prince & Roche, 2014). As the patient
advocate, I will cooperate with other institutions in creating a practice environment where my
client’s data is shared professionally.