Principles of Public Health Ethics

Question 1

What are the seven principles of public health ethics?

Answer 1

1) Autonomy
2) Nonmaleficence
3) Beneficence
4) Justice
5) Fidelity
6) Privacy/Confidentiality
7) Veracity/Transparency

Question 2

What is the principle of beneficence?

Answer 2

Potential benefits should be maximized and risks minimized.

Protection of individual welfare and promotion of common welfare.

Question 3

What is the principle of nonmaleficence?

Answer 3

Avoid harmful acts.

Does not preclude balancing harms against benefits.

Question 4

What is the principle of respect for autonomy?

Answer 4

Self-determination and informed consent.

Question 5

What is the principle of justice?

Answer 5

Fair distribution of the benefits and burdens.

Fair subject selection.

Question 6

What are the different domains of ethics?

Answer 6

• Medical ethics (patient)
• Public health ethics (community)
• Research ethics (subject)

Question 7

What is the ethical principle of fidelity?

Answer 7

Keep promises.

Faithfully carry out activity.

Question 8

What is the ethical principle of privacy/confidentiality?

Answer 8

Protect individual privacy and rights to confidentiality.

Question 9

What is the ethical principle of veracity/transparency?

Answer 9

Implies truthfulness and building trusting relationships.

Question 10

What is the Kantian/Deontological theory?

Answer 10

A person’s actions can be morally worthy only if his or her intentions are what is morally required.
Individual rights and freedoms are the main good to be preserved in Kantian theories.

Question 11

What is the ethical theory of utilitarianism?

Answer 11

Decisions made on greatest amount of benefits for largest amount of people.