Which principle guides the fair distribution of limited resources in self-care decisions?

• A. Autonomy
• B. Beneficence
• C. Justice
• D. Non-maleficence

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is fairness in how scarce resources are shared. Justice focuses on equitable, impartial distribution, making sure that limited self-care resources—like time, funding, medications, or access to services—are allocated in a way that respects people's needs and rights and minimizes bias or unfair advantage. In practice, this means prioritizing those with greater need or higher risk, ensuring no group is unjustly left behind, and applying consistent criteria for who gets what.

Autonomy centers on an individual's right to make their own choices, which is important for respecting self-determination but doesn’t by itself determine how scarce resources are doled out. Beneficence is about doing good and promoting well-being, which motivates actions to help, but it doesn’t directly prescribe who should receive limited resources. Non-maleficence is about avoiding harm, ensuring safety, yet it doesn’t address the fairness of distribution across people. Justice is the principle that explicitly governs fair access and allocation in the face of scarcity.