Health Promotion Ethics

Health Promotion Ethics: A Framework for Social Justice critically considers the ethical dimensions of promoting health with individuals and communities, encouraging a nuanced understanding of health promotion in the context of fairness, empowerment and social justice.

The concept of social justice, indeed, is central. The book explores how health promotion should be considered in relation to moral, social and legal issues, from individual responsibility to government intervention, as well as the possibility that existing practice maintains rather than alleviates existing health inequalities by stigmatising certain groups. It also questions the ‘rights’ of those who promote health to use particular strategies, for example using fear to encourage behaviour change. The ethics of health promotion practice and research are considered, introducing several important debates.

Case studies, international material and opportunities to reflect on practice are used throughout to bring the important issues under discussion to life, engaging both students and practitioners alike. The book provides a fascinating route to reflect on what it really means to promote health for all in a more equitable way.

Ruth Cross is Course Director in Health Promotion at Leeds Beckett University. Her research interests include qualitative and creative methods of investigation, feminist and critical perspectives, and the relationship between theory and practice. Ruth has edited and co-authored several textbooks, including The Essentials of Health Promotion (2022), Health Promotion: Global Principles and Practice (2021), Health Promotion: Planning and Strategies (2019) and Health Communication: Theoretical and Critical Perspectives (2017).

Louise Warwick-Booth is Reader and Associate Director of the Centre for Health Promotion Research. She leads a range of diverse research and evaluation projects with the voluntary and statutory sector. Her expertise relates to the evaluation of health promotion interventions with vulnerable populations, including women experiencing domestic abuse. Louise has published several textbooks such as Social Inequality (2022), Creating Participatory Research (2021) and Contemporary Health Studies: An Introduction (2021).

James Woodall is Reader in Health Promotion and Departmental Lead at Leeds Beckett University. James’ research interest is the health-promoting prison and how values central to health promotion are applied to the context of imprisonment. He is currently Editor-in-Chief of the journal Health Education. James has published several textbooks such as The Essentials of Health Promotion (2022), Practical Health Promotion (2020) and Health Promotion: Planning and Strategies (2019).