Ethics in Public Health and Health Promotion

Abstract

Ethics in public health is an ever raising issue that can no longer be postponed from more seriously taking it into consideration. This module provides overview of major ethical theories (utilitarianism, liberalism and communitarianism) and basic concepts and principles of moral philosophy as applied to public health and health promotion. Ethical theories provide a way of thinking and highlight various ways of approaches to alternative priorities and problem definitions in public health and health sector reform issues. It also provides an insight in the most common ethical dilemmas that arise in public health and health promotion.