Question

What impact does paternalism have in public health programs and services? With respect to the Ontario School Food and Beverage Policy (OSFBP), explain how autonomy and beneficence may be in conflict with this policy. What affect does the policy have on adolescents? What outcomes do public health officials expect to achieve? What are the ultimate goals of public health officials who support school food policies?

Answer 1

Paternalism is defined as an action that infringes a person's liberty and is performed without their consent. But is intended to improve persons welfare. Like this many public health policies are criticized as being paternalistic because they attempt to influence citizen to prevent disease or injury.

Example for paternalism in everyday life are laws which require seat belt, wear helmet while driving, and banning of certain drugs etc.

Recognition of the principles and factors that make paternalism acceptable is crucial to the development and advocacy of public health policy. For a health professional considering whether to advocate for a hard paternalistic policy, it is important to recognize that in Western cultures, hard paternalism is generally only justifyed by the harm principle and the argument from integrity. Public health policies that alleviate the social or physical barriers that prevent individuals from making and pursuing healthy choices may be seen as a justifyed use of paternalism. However the acceptance of paternalism is depends on culture and values of the society being regulated. Appropriate paternalistic public health policy may be justifyed and defended from claims that the state is overreaching.

Autonomy and beneficence are conflicted each other. Autonomy to take decisions are restricted but this paternalism is beneficial for health. It follows some rule and strictly performed to maintain beneficience.

School based prevention programme such as Healthy school programme should take in to account that adolescents have a low risk perception of unhealthy eating and are seeking food choice autonomy.

Effective public health programs should follow

• Innovation to develop the evidence base for action
• Technical package
• Effective performance management
• Partnership between private and public sector.
• Political commitment to obtain resources

Goals of this programmes include

• Promotes lifelong healthy eating
• Prevent illness and prevent premature death.
• Health promotion and disease prevention
• Promote health services
• Provide counselling
• Physical education and nutritional services