Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

The balance of individual and corporate responsibility in health promotion is considered. It is concluded that, if left to their own devices, individuals have a very limited capacity to make choices relevant to their health; a government that seeks to obtain social justice for its constituency has the right to regulate any behaviour that may detract from the objective of maximum Health for All; governments should act to control health hazards, foster balance in behaviours that has both health benefits and health hazards to offer, and promote behaviours that are wholly beneficial; and that the exercise of individual choice for health requires a situation in which the best choice follows as the most natural consequence of these surroundings-surroundings which, for most part, are determined as much by others, including governments, as by individuals themselves.

Keywords

Health promotion Individual rights Public Health Nutrition Policy Social justice

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

1. Knowles JH : Responsibility for health. Science 1977; 198: 1103.

2. Herzfeld T : Smoking and Tobacco Products Advertisements Bill, Second Reading Debate. Legislative Assembly of Western Australia. Hansard 1982: 6510–11.

3. Moore NF : Smoking and Tobacco Products Advertisements Bill, Second Reading Debate. Legislative Council of Western Australia. Hansard 1982; 5778.

4. Morris JN : Social inequalities undiminished. Lancet 1979; 1: 87–90.

5. Rose G , Marmot MG : Social class and coronary heart disease. Br Heart J 1981; 48: 13–19.

6. Fox AJ , Goldblatt PO , Jones DR : Social class mortality differentials: artefact, selection or life circumstances? J Epidemiol Common Health 1985; 39: 1–8.

7. Armstrong B , McMichael A : Overnutrition. In: Stanley NF , Joske RA , eds. Changing disease patterns and human behaviour. London: Academic Press, 1980, p. 491–506.

8. Parkin DM , Stjemsward J , Muir CS : Estimates of the worldwide frequency of twelve major cancers. Bull WHO 1984; 62: 163–82.

9. Beauchamp DE : Public health and individual liberty. Ann Rev Public Health 1980; 1: 121–36.

10.

10. Cooper RM: A time to warn and a time to ban. In: Morris LA, Mazis MB, Barof sky I, eds. Product labelling and health risks. Banbury Report 6. New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1980, p. 289–306.

11.

11. Schultz WB: Labels, bans and consumer preferences. In: Morris LA, Mazis MB, Barof sky I, eds. Product labelling and health risks. Banbury Report 6. New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1980, p. 221–29.

12.

12. Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs . Dietary goals for the United States. Washington: US Government Printing Office, 1977.

13.

13. Austin JE , Quelch JA : US national dietary goals: food industry threat or opportunity. Food Policy 1979; 4: 115–28.

Individual and Corporate Responsibily in Health Promotion: A Personal View

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References