Chapter 2 - Why is Public Health Controversial?

Question 1

What is the mission of public health?

Answer 1

To fulfill society’s interest in assuring conditions in which people can be healthy

Question 2

Market Justice

Answer 2

Dan E. Beauchamp’s term for the emphasis of individual responsibility and minimal obligation to the common good

Question 3

Social Justice

Answer 3

Minimal levels of income, basic housing, employment, education, and health care are seen as fundamental rights

Question 4

How is public health economically controversial?

Answer 4

• Loss of jobs
• Adds to price of product
• Requires tax increase
• Cut to company profits
• Those who pay for a public health measure sometimes aren’t the ones who benefit
• People don’t want to pay short term costs for long term benefits

Question 5

What are two libertarian issues of public health?

Answer 5

• How far can/should the government restrict individual freedom in order to improve community health?
• The government has to protect the commons, but what should be included among the protected resources and how extensive should protective measures be?

Question 6

Paternalism

Answer 6

Behavior, by a person, organization, or state, which limits some person or group’s liberty/autonomy for that person or group’s own good

Question 7

Is legislating morality effective?

Answer 7

No, it it ineffective, self-defeating, and a threat to liberty as people have different ideas about what is normal

Question 8

What can legislating morality lead to?

Answer 8

The repression of free speech, demonization of victims, and drives those who engage in these behaviors underground, allowing the epidemic to spread more easily