Confidentiality has much to do with the rights to privacy and autonomy.
These rights would suggest that patients have the right to determine what information about themselves can be shared with others, and how wide this audience might be. In each society, some information is considered to be very private, shared with no one or a very select group. Other information would be available to anyone in a group granted access through relationships such as love, friendship or trust. Some information may be considered to be so public that it can be made available to many or even anyone. Our societal beliefs, personal beliefs, personal relationships, and professional relationships all impact on our decisions about the confidentiality of our personal information.