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Introduction to Public Health Ethics

BETH5206

This unit provides an introduction to the ethics of public health. Ethics is the study of what should be done. In public health this requires thinking about what it is we want healthcare to achieve, both for communities and the individuals in those communities. As this always involves prioritization and compromise it is important to understand; how and why we focus on some health issues and not others; why we focus on some populations and not others; how we weigh up the benefits, harms and costs of intervening in people's lives; whether our interventions are fair, just and undermine or promote human rights; and how we can best engage with communities and maintain their trust. None of these issues can be understood simply by reference to evidence, efficiency, policy or law. This is where an understanding of ethics can help. By the end of the Unit you will be able to identify the values and ideas upon which public health rests and ready to start thinking proactively about the ethical and legal issues that are raised by public health interventions and health policy. This is a Core Unit for Graduate Diploma and Master in Public Health students.

Unit of study details

Unit of study level: Postgraduate

Credit points: 2

Commencing semesters: 9

Further unit of study information

Unit of study handbook: BETH5206

Costs and scholarships information: Costs and Scholarships

Final dates to withdraw from units of study: Census Dates

Available for study abroad and exchange: No

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