LAUSR

Some patients may withhold relevant medical information from their provider because of concerns about the security and privacy of their information, or about how their information will be used. With increasing reliance on telemedicine and telehealth tools (e.g., patient portals) in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, this issue may be particularly problematic. As withholding information can compromise providers’ ability to deliver appropriate care, the accuracy of public health surveillance system data, and even population health efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we need to understand how patients’ concerns about the privacy and security of their medical information may lead to information-withholding behaviors.