Abstract |
A fundamental concept in ethics and in modern bioethics is the concept of the person. Considerations raised by human actions are directly related to the concept of the person, the respect for the person, their freedom, their rights, their autonomy and it is a key principle of bioethics since its conception, along with the principle of justice and the principle of non maleficence. The concept of autonomy is linked to the concept of freedom, privacy, free will and self-determination, constituting a rule against the heteronomy of the will and restrictions on the exercise of free will by heterogeneous factors. The limited access to healthcare, along with other limitations that persons with disability have to endure in different areas of life, are directly related to human right issues, justice, autonomy and dignity. The right in health care often has been an issue of discussion, and it contains medical care and care for physical and mental health, prevention, access to adequate and healthy nutrition and ensuring a clean environment from pollution. The limited access to health care for persons with disability and inequalities in health, are among the biggest matters of justice and create discrimination, stigmatization and disabilism, along with the prevailing perceptions that result in the undermining of the social prosperity of persons with disabilities. The training of social workers in bioethics can be useful in the bioethical issues that arise in the case of disability, regarding the reduced access and the undermining of their social well-being. The field of bioethics, thus, allows the development of the practical application of ethical theories related to disability, both in the knowledge and practice of biomedicine and health care, with the aim of strengthening the cultural, political, institutional and material environment, where people with disabilities will be able to have equal opportunities, with the contribution of social work to their performance. Social workers work with people with disabilities from the beginning of their professional life and are guided by the promotion of the core values of the profession, including the equal value of all persons. The role of social work on the issue of disability is to assess needs and at the same time focus on policy and community development to reform existing structures that prevent people with disabilities from participating in society, ensuring equality in health and to provide quality services to people with disabilities resulting in maximizing their well-being and participation in all aspects of society (Apgar et al, 2021). In other words, social work can provide ways of applying and adapting bioethical principles to the needs of people with disabilities, which are moral imperatives and thus be a "tool" for enforcing bioethical principles.
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