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Health Promotion and the Freedom of the Individual

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Abstract

This article considers the extent to which health promotion strategies pose a threat to individual freedom. It begins by taking a look at health promotion strategies and at the historical development of health promotion in Britain. A theoretical context is then developed in which Berlin’s distinction between negative and positive liberty is used alongside the ideas of John Stuart Mill, Charles Taylor and T.H. Green to discuss the politics of health promotion and to identify the implications of conflicting perspectives on freedom. The final section looks at current health promotion policy in Britain and beyond and argues that, if freedom is seen in terms of empowerment, health promotion can enhance individual freedom.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Applied Social Sciences, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom

    Gary Taylor

  2. Health Promotion Section, Rotherham Primary Care Trust, Rotherham, United Kingdom

    Helen Hawley

  3. 209 Southbourne, Collegiate Crescent Campus, Sheffield, S10 2BP, United Kingdom

    Gary Taylor

Authors
  1. Gary Taylor
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  2. Helen Hawley
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Correspondence to Gary Taylor.

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Taylor, G., Hawley, H. Health Promotion and the Freedom of the Individual. Health Care Anal 14, 15–24 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10728-006-0012-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10728-006-0012-x

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