Six quotations with sources describe the social justice and human rights underpinnings of public health. Public health professionals have a duty to share their knowledge of occurrences of injustice when it comes to health. A society that fails to ensure the conditions necessary for health is unjust. Quotation references are the Public Health Leadership Society and "Social Justice: The moral foundations of public health and health policy" by Powers and Faden (2006), Oxford Press.

1. Sources: Notes 1, 2 and 3: Public Health Leadership Society. (2002). Principles of the ethical practice of public health. [Pamphlet]
Retrieved from http://www.apha.org/NR/rdonlyres/1CED3CEA-287E-4185-9CBD-BD405FC60856/0/ethicsbrochure.pdf pages 5 and
7; Notes 4, 5 and 6: Powers, M., & Faden, R. R. (2006). Social justice : The moral foundations of public health and health policy.
Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press pages 82, 85, and 86-7.
“Public health professionals who, by virtue of their professional roles, are in a position
to know when injustices with respect to health are occurring and why, have at very least
a duty to share that knowledge with others. The institutional changes required to
redress injustice in the real world often require the awakening of the consciences of
large numbers of people, or at least large numbers of people in positions of influence.”6
“…any society that fails to ensure for its members the conditions necessary to
achieve a sufficient level of health is an unjust society that in our view has
violated a basic human right.”5
“Public health should advocate and work for the empowerment of
disenfranchised community members, aiming to ensure that the basic
resources and conditions necessary for health are accessible to all.”3
“What the Institute of Medicine defines as the purpose of public health—
bringing about the conditions necessary for people to be healthy—is precisely
what we understand to be one of the direct requirements of social justice.” 4
“Identifying and promoting the fundamental requirements for health in a
community are of primary concern to public health. The way in which a society
is structured is reflected in the health of a community. The primary concern of public
health is with these underlying structural aspects. While some important public
health programs are curative in nature, the field as a whole must never lose sight of
underlying causes and prevention. Because fundamental social structures affect
many aspects of health, addressing the fundamental causes rather than more
proximal causes is more truly preventive.” 2
“Humans have a right to the resources necessary for health. The Public
Health Code of Ethics affirms Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, which states in part “Everyone has the right to a standard of living
adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family…” 1
PUBLIC HEALTH PRINCIPLES AND ETHICS!
!
Cook County PLACE MATTERS!
@CCPlaceMatters facebook.com/CCPlaceMatters YouTube.com/CCPlaceMatters !
PlaceMattersCookCounty@gmail.com