Defense Date

9-12-2024

Graduation Date

Fall 12-2024

Availability

One-year Embargo

Submission Type

dissertation

Degree Name

PhD

Department

Health Care Ethics

School

McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts

Committee Chair

Gerard Magill

Committee Member

Joris Gielen

Committee Member

Peter Ikechukwu Osuji

Committee Member

Kristine L. Blair

Keywords

medicine, physician, ethics, vulnerable, clinical

Abstract

This dissertation seeks to address vulnerability within clinical healthcare settings. Currently, clinical vulnerability is underrecognized and insufficiently researched which leads to the perpetuation of negative health outcomes for vulnerable populations. Specifically, there is a lack of a consistent and universal definition of vulnerability which has built a shaky foundation on which to discuss vulnerability. This dissertation begins to address these issues and increase awareness on clinical vulnerability due to some populations experiencing the devastating effects of vulnerability at a higher and disproportionate rate when compared to other populations. There is a clear need for increased attention from ethicists and medical professionals and as such, this dissertation aims to provide a broad understanding and awareness of vulnerability in clinical contexts for clinicians. Due to the higher rate of interactions between medical providers and vulnerable patients, this community has the potential to make the largest impact within vulnerable populations and so more clinically targeted interventions are needed. Throughout this dissertation, a myriad of topics are considered in order to contribute to the holistic understanding of vulnerability in clinical contexts. The analysis includes a focus on the historical and clinical contexts of vulnerability and ethics, the underlying mechanisms that contribute to vulnerability like of precarity and the potential mitigating factors like care ethics, vulnerable populations other than patients including physicians and research subjects, specific clinical cases involving vulnerability, and how vulnerability should then be represented in ethics consultations in hospitals. Vulnerability is an ethical and clinical concept that impacts specific populations at higher rates, demonstrating the ethical, moral, and social obligation of clinicians to protect these communities.

Language

English

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