ArticleInternational journal of health geographics2026
Ethical guidelines for geoprivacy: a framework for researchers and ethics committees.
Article in International journal of health geographics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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7 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundThe increasing use of geographic data about individuals in health and social research raises ethical challenges that extend beyond existing legal frameworks. While regulations such as data protection laws define boundaries, they rarely provide researchers with sufficient practical guidance for addressing geoprivacy risks.
methodsWe developed a structured, reflexive ethical framework tailored for research involving human-centered geographic data. The framework was designed using a lifecycle approach and informed by both a review of existing literature and the expertise of the multidisciplinary author team. It organizes ethical considerations into five research phases: data collection, storage, sharing, analysis, and results dissemination. To enhance usability, we translated these considerations into 60 guiding questions, each assigned an importance level (high, moderate, or low). An ethical review applicability matrix was also introduced to help determine the level of ethical scrutiny required, based on study characteristics such as data type, granularity, linkage potential, and participant vulnerability.
resultsThe framework offers a practical and scalable tool for embedding ethical reflection into research processes. It supports proportionate ethical review by aligning the sensitivity of specific research practices with the corresponding importance of guiding questions. To demonstrate its adaptability, we provide two case studies in the supplementary materials that apply the framework to different research scenarios with varying levels of geoprivacy sensitivity.
conclusionsBy encouraging early and context-aware engagement with ethical risks, this framework safeguards participant dignity, fosters transparency, and advances ethically responsible research involving geographic data. It equips both researchers and ethics committees with a systematic approach for addressing geoprivacy challenges across diverse health and social science contexts.
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