Which principle supports patient involvement in their own healthcare decisions?

The principle that supports patient involvement in their own healthcare decisions is autonomy. Autonomy refers to the right of patients to make informed choices about their own healthcare, recognizing their capacity to make decisions based on their values, preferences, and beliefs. It emphasizes the importance of respecting individuals as agents who have the power to govern themselves and make decisions about their own bodies and health.

In a healthcare setting, respecting patient autonomy means that healthcare providers must engage patients in discussions about their treatment options, ensure that patients understand the potential risks and benefits, and allow them to participate in the decision-making process. This principle is foundational to ethical medical practice, as it empowers patients and fosters a collaborative relationship between them and their healthcare providers.

Beneficence, while important, focuses on the obligation of healthcare providers to act in the best interest of the patient, but it does not explicitly address patient involvement in decision-making. Nonmaleficence emphasizes the duty to do no harm, which is critical in healthcare ethics but again does not inherently support patient involvement. Justice relates to fairness and the equitable distribution of healthcare resources, rather than individual decision-making authority. Thus, autonomy is the correct principle here, as it fundamentally supports the involvement of patients in their own healthcare choices.