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2.7M medical calls breached in Sweden

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Re: 2.7M medical calls breached in Sweden

#11

Post by marcinzm »

rb808 wrote: post #6

I'm not clear on why medical records are so sensitive. I can understand some people might want to hide HIV status - but is there anything else? In the US people have wanted to hide prior conditions from insurance companies, but I wouldn't expect this a problem in Sweden.

STDs in general are sensitive since people may want to hide them or hide the implications. Abortions are sensitive as well depending on the social group.

If you're underage you may especially want to hide those two from your parents depending on the social group. If you're a woman you may also want those two hidden from your family depending on the social group. Sweden has a large refuge population from very conservative cultures and things like acid attacks against women are decently common. So not keeping those thing hidden can get you killed or horribly injured if you're in certain social groups.

Re: 2.7M medical calls breached in Sweden

#13

Post by deweller »

rb808 wrote: post #6

I'm not clear on why medical records are so sensitive. I can understand some people might want to hide HIV status - but is there anything else? In the US people have wanted to hide prior conditions from insurance companies, but I wouldn't expect this a problem in Sweden.

Well for one thing, there are many medical conditions that can be embarrassing when shared with non-medical professionals. Do you really want your neighbor finding out about that rash or fungus you called about?

Re: 2.7M medical calls breached in Sweden

#14

Post by styren »

aboutruby wrote: post #4

The government can't fine itself I guess, so it would have to be the EU that fines sweden? Or some kind of class action from swedes?

Why not fine the company, Medicall, responsible for taking the calls? Or Voice Integrate Nordic, who supplied the callcenter-system, depending on who is at fault.

Re: 2.7M medical calls breached in Sweden

#15

Post by Real_S »

rb808 wrote: post #6

I'm not clear on why medical records are so sensitive. I can understand some people might want to hide HIV status - but is there anything else? In the US people have wanted to hide prior conditions from insurance companies, but I wouldn't expect this a problem in Sweden.

One reason health data is so valuable is that the older you are, the more problems you have. For example, neurodegenerative diseases can be serious, and when they begin to develop the patient may still be working! Imagine if your boss found out that you had ~2 good years left.

Even worse, people with dementia are prone to being scammed. We need to do everything possible to stop adversaries and scammers from having a list of people with neurodegenerative disease. Unfortunately, most people have little fear of their health data being hacked and hospitals have little incentive to protect it. Although I hear things are "getting better," the protection of you health data remains in a terrible state.

Re: 2.7M medical calls breached in Sweden

#17

Post by jeromegv »

rb808 wrote: post #6

I'm not clear on why medical records are so sensitive. I can understand some people might want to hide HIV status - but is there anything else? In the US people have wanted to hide prior conditions from insurance companies, but I wouldn't expect this a problem in Sweden.

Quite something that we are now at the part of the privacy debate where the argument is "well, why do you care about private medical records? shouldn't this be public?"

Re: 2.7M medical calls breached in Sweden

#18

Post by OlleTO »

marcinzm wrote: post #11
rb808 wrote: post #6

I'm not clear on why medical records are so sensitive. I can understand some people might want to hide HIV status - but is there anything else? In the US people have wanted to hide prior conditions from insurance companies, but I wouldn't expect this a problem in Sweden.

STDs in general are sensitive since people may want to hide them or hide the implications. Abortions are sensitive as well depending on the social group. If you're underage you may especially want to hide those two from your parents depending on the social group. If you're a woman you may also want those two hidden from your family depending on the social group. Sweden has a large refuge population from very conserva…

> and things like acid attacks against women are decently common.

Wait, what? Where's your source on this.

Via google I can find references to one case from 1997 and one from 2002, and that's it. The idea that this would in any way be "decently common" here is preposterous.

Re: 2.7M medical calls breached in Sweden

#20

Post by BurningFrog »

OlleTO wrote: post #18
marcinzm wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

STDs in general are sensitive since people may want to hide them or hide the implications. Abortions are sensitive as well depending on the social group. If you're underage you may especially want to hide those two from your parents depending on the social group. If you're a woman you may also want those two hidden from your family depending on the social group. Sweden has a large refuge population from very conserva…

> and things like acid attacks against women are decently common. Wait, what? Where's your source on this. Via google I can find references to one case from 1997 and one from 2002, and that's it. The idea that this would in any way be "decently common" here is preposterous.

Acid attacks are not common, but a lot of young immigrant women live under quite repressive family conditions, and can not see a doctor for their sexual health with their family knowing about it.
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