Chapter 2

Question 1

What are the sources of controversy?

Answer 1

Economic Impact
Individual liberty/freedom
Moral and Religious concen
Politics vs. science

Question 2

Why is economic impact of public health controversial?

Answer 2

• Often the people paying for the program/intervention are not benefiting from it
• Businesses often resist because it could affect profits
• short term cost analysis vs. long term benefit

Question 3

Why is individual liberty/freedom controversial to public health?

Answer 3

• Tragedy of Commerce

Question 4

What is the tragedy of commerce?

Answer 4

situation in which multiple individuals act in their own self interest and deplete a limited shared resource

Question 5

When can the government restrict individual freedoms?

Answer 5

• Limit freedom to protect others
• Limit kids freedoms
  - cannot drink or buy alch

Question 6

Is it accepted that the government can limit freedom to benefit the common good?

Answer 6

• Most accept this as protecting the “commons”
• controversy on case by case basis

Question 7

Why is moral and religious concern controversial to public health?

Answer 7

• some think changes in sex ed, AIDS, clean needle provision is encouraging immoral behaviors and should not be implemented

Question 8

Whys is politics and science controversial?

Answer 8

there is always tension and depending on who is in office science is well regarded or misinterpreted

Question 9

What is Market Justice?

Answer 9

-Market forces in a free economy will assure a fair distribution of health
-Individual responsibility

Question 10

What is Social Justice?

Answer 10

-Society must act collectively to assure
a fair distribution of health for all
-The common good

Question 11

Characteristics of Market justice

Answer 11

• Views health care as an economic good
• Production and distribution of health care determined by market based demand
• Access to medical care seen as an economic reward of personal effort and achievement

Question 12

Implications of Market Justice?

Answer 12

• Individual responsibility for health
  -benefits based on individual purchasing power
  -Limited obligation to collective good

Question 13

Characteristics of Social Justice

Answer 13

• View health care as a social resource
• Requires active government involvement in health services
• ability to pay does not affect receiving health care
  equal access to health care seen as a basic right

Question 14

Implications of social justice

Answer 14

• Collective responsibility for health
• strong obligation to collective good
  -public solutions to social problems
  -everyone entitled to basic package benefits