Health and Wellness Policy Ethics

• Main Authors: Frank J. Cavico, Bahaudin G. Mujtaba
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kerman University of Medical Sciences 2013-01-01
• Series: International Journal of Health Policy and Management
• Subjects: Wellness Policies; Healthy Employees; Discrimination; Ethics; Utilitarianism
• Online Access: http://ijhpm.com/?_action=showPDF&article=2757&_ob=ecb2f9d158eee2fa3af5b72d86203094&fileName=full_text.pdf.

This perspective is an ethical brief overview and examination of “wellness” policies in the modern workplace using practical examples and a general application of utilitarianism. Many employers are implementing policies that provide incentives to employees who lead a “healthy” lifestyle. The authors address how these policies could adversely affect “non-healthy” employees. There are a wide variety of ethical issues that impact wellness policies and practices in the workplace. The authors conclude that wellness programs can be ethical, while also providing a general reflective analysis of healthcare challenges in order to reflect on the externalities associated with such policies in the workplace.