Public health ethics / Stephen Holland.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Holland, Stephen (Stephen Michael), 1963-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Public health--Moral and ethical aspects.

Public health.

Public Health--ethics.

Medical Subjects:

Public Health--ethics.

Physical Description:

xv, 222 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, UK ; Malden, MA : Polity, 2007.

Summary:

How far should we go in protecting and promoting public health? Can we force people to give up unhealthy habits and make healthier choices, or does everyone have the right to decide their own lifestyle? Should we stop treating smokers who refuse to give up smoking? Should we put a tax on fatty foods and ban vending machines in schools to address the 'obesity epidemic'? Should parents be required to have their children vaccinated? Are some of our screening programmes unethical - Down's syndrome screening, for example - or should we be screening people for more conditions, such as Huntington disease?

Such questions are at the heart of public health ethics. Holland shows that to understand and debate these issues requires philosophy: moral philosophies, such as utilitarianism and deontology, as well as political philosophies such as liberalism and communitarianism. And philosophy informs other aspects of public health, such as epidemiology and health promotion. The aim of this book is to provide a lively, accessible and philosophically informed introduction to such issues. It is an ideal textbook for students taking courses in public health ethics. And since this book develops systematic discussions of issues in public health ethics, there is also much here to engage and challenge the more advanced reader.

Contents:

Part I Moral and Political Philosophy 1

1 Consequentialism 7

2 Non-consequentialism 18

3 Political Philosophy 37

Part II Public Health Activities 59

4 Epidemiology 64

5 Health Concepts and Promotion 87

6 Health Promotion as Behaviour Modification 111

7 Immunization 135

8 Screening 160.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [192]-214) and index.

ISBN:

0745633021

9780745633022

074563303X

9780745633039

OCLC:

156812641