Utilitarianism In Healthcare

Healthcare practice is complex in many perspectives from professional to cultural, from physical to mental. All cultures have systems of health beliefs to explain what causes illness, how it can be cured or treated, and who should be involved in the process. The extent to which patients perceive patient education as having cultural relevance for them can have a profound effect on their reception to information provided and their willingness to use it (Euromed info, 2017). Social and cultural differences between patients and providers can potentially post big challenges throughout the course of healthcare service. If not handled properly, it will adversely affect the clinical interaction between healthcare providers, patients and their families.

Deontology requires absolute adherence to these obligations and acting from duty is viewed as acting ethically (Ethical Theory, 2017).

Utilitarianism is to promote the greatest good that is possible in the situation (Rich & Butt, 2009). Utilitarianism believes that the most ethical thing to do is to maximize the happiness within a society. Thus, utilitarianism depends on the “consequentiality”. It believes that outcomes can be predicted and because it judges actions based on their

Murgic et al (2015) stated that there is an increasingly prominent that the idea that individual patients should have the freedom to make choices about their lives, including medical matters. However, in the real world, this is not always the case, especially in countries where males are the dominant decision makers. Throughout the world in many cultures and religions, husbands are expected to make the decision regarding wives ' wellbeing and wives are expected to ask for husband’s permission before deciding to do anything. Women are afraid to go against their husband because they believe that wives who go against their husbands’ wishes are considered disobedient and can create marital disharmony. In the local culture, Lakshmi has low social status in the family, so as her mother-in-law. Despite many years of feminism movement which to aim that equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women (Vick,2017), often the women living in modern time still face many issues of discrimination. Lakshmi 's case is a good example. Her mother-in-law might not able to make the decision for her due to their culture and yet she adamant that no one should treat Lakshmi or operate on her until her husband gave permission. The same went to Lakshmi. She did not dare to make any decision for herself due to her low social status in the family. And evidence showed that she was even afraid of