Report on Emerging Areas of Human Health: Genetic Research and Ethics

This report delves into the emerging areas of human health, particularly focusing on the advancements in genetic research. It highlights the critical role of nurses in managing genetic information, emphasizing the importance of patient privacy, confidentiality, and ethical considerations. The report discusses the challenges and ethical dilemmas arising from genetic testing, such as the potential misuse of genetic information and the risk of discrimination. It also addresses the need for robust regulations to protect genetic data and prevent discrimination based on genetic predispositions. Furthermore, the report underscores the significance of patient advocacy and the creation of practice environments that ensure the professional handling of genetic information. Ultimately, the report emphasizes the need for a balanced approach that promotes the benefits of genetic research while safeguarding patient rights and preventing potential harms.

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.

EMERGING AREAS OF HUMAN HEALTH 3
The current genetic approaches are critical in the diagnosis and treatment of genetic
conditions. Nurses, as patient advocates, are required to ensure that their client’s privacy and
confidentiality is maintained. By creating practice environments, there is a minimized risk of
misuse of the client’s genetic information, which would risk their employment statuses.

EMERGING AREAS OF HUMAN HEALTH 4
References
Dheensa, S., Fenwick, A., Shkedi-Rafid, S., Crawford, G., & Lucassen, A. (2016). Health-care
professionals' responsibility to patients' relatives in genetic medicine: a systematic review
and synthesis of empirical research. Genetics in Medicine, 18(4), 290.
Prince. A. E., & Roche, M. I. (2014). Genetic information, non-discrimination, and privacy
protections in genetic counselling practice. Journal of genetic counselling, 23(6), 891-
902.