Building Bridges Between Bioethics and Ecological Models of Health Promotion in Higher Education

Abstract

Universities are essential institutions for health promotion (HP). Bioethics, as a transversal discipline, seeks to analyze and systematize these values in an ethical way, strengthening the synergy between health and health care. The ecological models are a possibility to develop health actions in a holistic, sustainable and salutogenic way, stimulating positive aspects related to ethics, well-being, quality of life and happiness. Research with exploratory-descriptive methodology and quantitative-qualitative approach. Sample: University teachers from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, random sample, probabilistic for convenience, CI= 95%, n = 1400 persons. The research was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Hospital de Clínicas of Porto Alegre (HCPA), Brazil, Ethics Committee of the University Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Porto, Portugal. Universities act as places for research and learning to strengthen the activities of HP. Bioethics and ecological models aim at building qualified actions in health, defending and promoting well-being, cohesion, inclusion, sustainability and social justice, with due conceptual clarity.