National Health Ethics Week! November 5-11th, 2023

WHAT IS ETHICS?

Ethics is the study of how human beings treat each other and the natural environment; it is the systematic examination of the attitudes and behaviours of people. Ethics is about carefully studying the values that actually do guide our attitudes and behaviours in given contexts, and it is about exploring what values ought to guide our attitudes and behaviours. No matter what our social, cultural, economic or professional backgrounds are, we are all in the business of

practicing ethics on a daily basis. We have certain values (things we think are important for their own sake) and beliefs (views about the nature of existence and the way we understand the world to be). For example, many of us think individuals should not be penalized for wrongs that are not of their doing. This suggests that justice or fairness is important to us. Many of us also feel that we should help those less fortunate in our society. This may suggest a belief that human beings are interconnected and that we hold values such as charity and generosity.

WHAT IS HEALTH ETHICS?

Health ethics is the branch of ethics that deals with ethical issues in health, health care, medicine and science. It involves discussions about treatment choices and care options that individuals, families, and health care providers must face. It requires a critical reflection upon the relationships between health care professionals and those they serve, as well as the

programs, systems, and structures developed to improve the health of a population. Health ethics involves deliberating about the allocation of resources and reflecting on the complex moral choices arising from ongoing health care restructuring and advancing technology. It also entails a critical, political, and ethical analysis of the definition and the determinants of health.

Article from: NSHEN – Nova Scotia Health Ethics Network