Journal of Bioethical Inquiry

Scope & Guideline

Illuminating Ethical Pathways in Health and Society

Introduction

Welcome to the Journal of Bioethical Inquiry information hub, where our guidelines provide a wealth of knowledge about the journal’s focus and academic contributions. This page includes an extensive look at the aims and scope of Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, highlighting trending and emerging areas of study. We also examine declining topics to offer insight into academic interest shifts. Our curated list of highly cited topics and recent publications is part of our effort to guide scholars, using these guidelines to stay ahead in their research endeavors.
LanguageEnglish
ISSN1176-7529
PublisherSPRINGER
Support Open AccessNo
CountryNetherlands
TypeJournal
Convergefrom 2004 to 2024
AbbreviationJ BIOETHIC INQ / J. Bioethical Inq.
Frequency4 issues/year
Time To First Decision-
Time To Acceptance-
Acceptance Rate-
Home Page-
AddressONE NEW YORK PLAZA, SUITE 4600 , NEW YORK, NY 10004, UNITED STATES

Aims and Scopes

The Journal of Bioethical Inquiry serves as an interdisciplinary platform that explores the ethical dimensions of health care, medical research, and bioethics in a rapidly evolving scientific landscape. Its main aims and scopes are characterized by the following focal areas:
  1. Clinical Ethics and Decision-Making:
    The journal investigates the ethical considerations surrounding clinical practices, decision-making processes, and the physician-patient relationship, emphasizing the complexities involved in end-of-life care, medical consent, and the implications of various treatment options.
  2. Public Health Ethics:
    A significant focus on ethical issues in public health, particularly in the context of pandemics, vaccination policies, and the social determinants of health. The journal addresses the balance between individual rights and community health concerns.
  3. Emerging Technologies and Bioethics:
    The exploration of ethical implications associated with new technologies such as genome editing, artificial intelligence in healthcare, and digital health innovations. This area considers both the potential benefits and risks posed by technological advancements.
  4. Global Health and Justice:
    The journal emphasizes bioethical issues on a global scale, including health disparities, access to care, and the ethical implications of health policies in different cultural and socio-economic contexts.
  5. Vulnerability and Ethics:
    Exploring the ethics of care for marginalized populations, such as refugees, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities. This area focuses on how vulnerabilities impact ethical decision-making and healthcare access.
  6. Philosophical and Theoretical Approaches:
    The journal incorporates philosophical analyses of bioethical principles, exploring concepts such as autonomy, justice, beneficence, and their application in contemporary ethical dilemmas.
The Journal of Bioethical Inquiry is witnessing a dynamic evolution in its thematic focus, reflecting contemporary challenges and societal shifts. The following emerging themes highlight this trend:
  1. Ethics of Pandemic Response:
    With the ongoing impact of COVID-19, there is an increasing emphasis on the ethical implications of public health responses, vaccination policies, and health equity during health crises.
  2. Technological Ethics in Healthcare:
    Emerging discussions around the ethics of artificial intelligence, genomics, and biotechnology are gaining traction, with a focus on how these technologies impact patient care, consent, and privacy.
  3. Environmental and Climate Justice:
    There is a growing interest in the intersection of bioethics with environmental issues, including the ethical implications of climate change on health, resource allocation, and sustainability in healthcare.
  4. Cultural and Social Determinants of Health:
    An increased focus on how cultural values, social structures, and systemic inequalities influence health outcomes and ethical decision-making in diverse populations.
  5. Interdisciplinary Approaches to Bioethics:
    A trend towards integrating insights from multiple disciplines, such as sociology, anthropology, and law, into bioethical discussions to enrich understanding and address complex ethical dilemmas.

Declining or Waning

While the Journal of Bioethical Inquiry continues to explore a wide range of bioethical topics, certain themes appear to be declining in prominence over recent years. The following outlines these waning areas of focus:
  1. Traditional Medical Ethics Frameworks:
    There seems to be a noticeable shift away from reliance on classical medical ethics frameworks, such as principlism, towards more context-sensitive and relational approaches that consider the complexities of modern healthcare.
  2. Focus on Specific Diseases:
    While the journal has traditionally addressed specific disease-related ethical issues, there is a trend towards broader public health concerns and systemic health issues, indicating a decline in the focus on individual diseases.
  3. Historical Perspectives on Bioethics:
    There has been a reduction in the publication of papers that critically assess historical bioethical cases or frameworks, suggesting a move towards more contemporary issues and real-time ethical dilemmas.
  4. Bioethics in Non-Clinical Settings:
    The exploration of bioethical issues outside of clinical practice, such as in corporate or non-profit settings, appears to be less frequent, as the journal increasingly concentrates on clinical and public health ethics.

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