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Ethical dilemmas in women's health in under‐resourced settings
Author(s) -
Wilkinson Jeffrey P.,
Lyerly Anne D.,
Masenga Gileard,
Hayat Sumera K.,
Prabhu Malavika
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2010.10.022
Subject(s) - autonomy , medicine , context (archaeology) , ethical issues , engineering ethics , ethical decision , informed consent , medical ethics , management science , alternative medicine , pathology , law , political science , psychiatry , paleontology , economics , biology , engineering
Ethical decision making in women's health presents a series of unique challenges that are exacerbated considerably in under‐resourced settings. Severe constraints on both autonomy and resources highlight limitations of principle‐based ethics for addressing ethical dilemmas. Other useful ethical “tools” are considered in the context of 2 cases that emphasize the challenges to ethical decision making in under‐resourced settings. The cases confront traditional notions of patient autonomy, highlight pervasive issues with regard to allocation of resources, and demonstrate the difficulties encountered in the careful application of medical ethics.