Is ethical theory of practical use in conducting community health studies?

摘要

Community health investigations are usually conducted without any mention or acknowledgment of ethical issues. An examination of the (usually unspoken) ethical stances routinely adopted by public health scientists and officials (utilitarianism) and the usual rights-based or contractual views of community members and lawyers makes it clear that conflicts are likely to occur because of this difference alone, even if other important issues did not co- occury. By examining these different views we suggest some conflicts can be mitigated by an explicit recognition there are different bases used as a guide for proper action, leading to new collaborative ways to work that will make mutual adjustment of these views more likely.