Improving our application of the health education code of ethics

The Health Education Code of Ethics was designed to provide a framework of shared values within which health education might be practiced. However, an informal survey conducted on a limited sample in November 2004 indicated that ethics and how to apply the code are topics not readily taught formally within all health education programs. There is, however, an expressed interest among health educators in understanding the code and its application. Because of the immense import of ethics, affecting responsible professional conduct at all levels, this article is designed to introduce the topic to health education practitioners who have had little formal exposure to ethics curricula, as well as to faculty who would like to teach this subject. The authors specifically review several resources that might be especially helpful in fostering a better understanding of this essential but often underestimated aspect of health education practice and research, namely, its ethical application.