Ethics for International Medicine: A Practical Guide for Aid Workers in Developing Countries [Paperback]

In recent years, international medicine has become a growth industry. International aid organizations, religious organizations, and medical schools all provide opportunities for health care workers to travel to developing countries to provide needed medical care to the worlds poorest citizens. Ethics for International Medicine explores the many challenges faced by these medical aid workers from the West: They serve in settings with limited medical supplies, facilities, and personnel. Their patients speak different languages, have different cultures, and may even have different interpretations of disease. With limited time in which to provide medical care to hundreds of people or more, ethical dilemmas abound, and many health care practitioners, both novice and expert, are unprepared to manage them. This volume uses a series of cases studies to provide medical aid workers with a method for identifying, analyzing, and resolving ethical issues within the context of international medicine. It is an invaluable tool for individuals and health organizations seeking to serve in developing countries throughout the world.

ANJI E. WALL, MD, PhD, is a resident in general surgery at Vanderbilt University. She earned her PhD in health care ethics at St. Louis University, with a focus on clinical ethics and international medicine. She has participated in international medical experiences in Guatemala and Jamaica.

Acknowledgments INTRODUCTION: Approaching Ethical Issues in International Medicine ?International Medicine The Context of International Medicine ?What Is an Ethical Issue? Approaching Ethical Issues Applying the Approach ?MEDICAL FACTS ?Different Medical Conditions Case 1.1: Vesico-Vaginal Fistula Repair Surgery - Language Differences Case 1.2: Informed Consent for Tubal Ligation Surgery - Communication Barriers Case 1.3: Fall from a Mango Tree - Different Medical Beliefs Case 1.4: Sorcery and Tuberculosis -Traditional Heal‡