• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.339-344
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• 2008

Objectives : The objective of this paper is to discuss the importance of obtaining informed consent for conducting epidemiological studies and public health activities, based on the Report of the UNESCO's Working Group on Informed Consent. Methods : The Report of the UNESCO's Working Group on Informed Consent was reviewed and discussed in connection with the ethical considerations of public health activities and epidemiological research. Results : It was at the Nuremberg Trial for the German war criminals of the Second World War that the principle of 'consent' was first stated as a consequence of the medical abuses carried out during the War. As a result of the Trial, the Nuremberg Code came out in 1947. Since then, various international declarations or ethical principles on 'informed consent' have been developed and published. These ethical principles on 'informed consent' have mostly to do with the clinical research that involves human subjects, and not with epidemiological studies and public health activities. However, UNESCO recently issued a comprehensive Report on Informed Consent based on the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights adopted in 2005, and this included detailed guidelines on informed consent in epidemiological studies and public health activities. Conclusions : Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights emphasizes the principle of autonomy to protect the human rights of the human subjects involved in any public health activities and epidemiological research. As a practical guideline, obtaining informed consent is strongly recommended.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.311-319
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• 2015

Purpose: To reilluminate academic fundamentals and missions of child health nursing (CHN). Methods: Critical review of literature. Results & Conclusion: The academic fundamentals of CHN were analyzed for three different basis; philosophical, theoretical, and legal & ethical basis. The philosophical basis of CHN was summarized as six beliefs; A child is an important human resource and a valuable asset for future society; A child should be respected as a unique and dignified human being; A child has his/her own unique developmental needs; A child is a vulnerable client and should be advocated for; Atraumatic care should be provided to each child; Child health care should be family-centered. The essence of the theoretical basis were reilluminated into caring theory and client advocacy theory. The legal basis of CHN was stated as pertaining to the various child-related laws and international conventions, such as UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The ethical basis were stated as 4 principles of biomedical ethics and The UNESCO Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights. The mission of the CHN was stated and the role of CHN was described as one who is a child rights advocator, professional caring service provider, policy maker, health educator, researcher.