Towards an ethics framework for Australian health promotion practitioners: An exploratory mixed methods study.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Promotion Ethics
• Professional Practice Standards

Background:

• Ethical values are fundamental to health promotion practice and professional competency.
• Understanding the practical application of ethical values in health promotion is crucial.
• This study addresses the need to explore ethical health promotion practice from Australian stakeholder perspectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore Australian health promotion stakeholder perspectives on ethical practice.
• To identify barriers and enablers influencing ethical health promotion.
• To inform the development of an ethical practice framework for health promotion.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory sequential mixed methods study was conducted.
• Data collected through workshops (n=15), online surveys (n=77), and interviews (n=15).
• Quantitative data analyzed using descriptive statistics; qualitative data analyzed using thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Participants often equated ethical practice with formal research approval processes.
• Key barriers included obtaining ethical approvals and engaging with specific populations.
• Enablers identified were professional development, access to ethics committees, and clearer definitions of ethical practice.

Conclusions:

• Findings indicate a need for a comprehensive ethical health promotion practice framework in Australia.
• The proposed framework has two pillars: developing critical practice and building evidence.
• Increased dialogue on ethical foundations is necessary to support ethical practice in the discipline.