The Australian Health Promotion Association’s Health Promotion Ethics Project (HPEP) aims to advance critical practice and build the evidence base for health promotion in Australia.
In phase one organisational and individual perspectives were sought from AHPA members and other health promotion stakeholders. Findings highlighted that health promotion practitioners in Australia require:
- a better understanding of what is meant by ‘ethical practice;
- professional development opportunities on ethical practice;
- access to guidelines on ethical practice; and
- access to a specialised human research ethics committee (HREC).
Through active member discussion HPEP will identify key resources, processes, and structures to support engagement with the ethical values required for effective health promotion practice. The HPEP framework comprises two arms:
Arm 1: Critical practice
Critical health promotion practice integrates the values and principles consistent with modern health promotion (1). Arm 1 will identify opportunities to build AHPA’s capacity to lead conversations about ethical health promotion practice. It comprises three key elements:
- development and dissemination of relevant resources;
- identification and delivery of professional development opportunities; and
- regular communication with members.
Arm 2: Building the evidence base
Having a strong evidence base is an important element of ethical health promotion practice (2). Broadly the components of Arm 2 will involve consideration of requirements, mechanisms and issues related to the establishment or facilitation of access to formal HREC support.
Arm 1 implementation commenced in July 2020 and outputs arising from this work will be available to AHPA members in the coming months. The HPEP Working Group is currently developing a proposal regarding the scope of Arm 2.
Watch this space for updates!
Contact details:
Dr Krysten Blackford
Chair, HPEP Working Group
T: 08 9266 2751
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
References
1. Gregg J, O'Hara L. Values and principles evident in current health promotion practice. Health Promotion Journal of Australia. 2007;18(1):7-11.
2. Carter S, Rychetnik L, Lloyd B, Kerridge I, Baur L, Bauman A, et al. Evidence, Ethics, and Values: A Framework for Health Promotion. American Journal of Public Health. 2011;101(3):465-72.