- "Health equity arises from access to the social determinants of health, specifically from wealth, power and prestige."
This subfield assesses the impact of race and racism on health outcomes and access to health care, and identifies ways to address health disparities and promote health equity.
Social determinants of health: This refers to the various social, economic, and environmental factors that influence a person's health and wellbeing.
Structural racism: This concept examines how societal structures and institutions perpetuate racial inequality, and how these institutions and policies lead to health disparities.
Implicit bias: This refers to the unconscious attitudes and beliefs that people hold about others, which can contribute to the perpetuation of health disparities.
Intersectionality: This theory recognizes that individuals have multiple identities that intersect, and how these intersections affect health outcomes differently.
Cultural competence: This is the practice of understanding and respecting the cultural norms, beliefs, and practices of diverse populations in order to better address health disparities.
Health equity: This concept addresses the root causes of health disparities and aims to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to achieve optimal health and wellbeing.
Environmental justice: This focuses on the disproportionate exposure of marginalized communities to environmental hazards that can negatively impact health outcomes.
Health literacy: This is the ability to access, understand, and use health information to make informed decisions about one's health.
Language barriers: This refers to the challenges that individuals face when accessing health services or information due to language differences.
Access to healthcare: This explores the barriers that individuals face when attempting to access healthcare, such as lack of insurance or geographic location.
Racial Disparities: These refer to differences in health outcomes and access to healthcare that are based on racial identity. Minority populations tend to experience more barriers to care and higher rates of disease and mortality than white populations.
Ethnic Disparities: Similar to racial disparities, these refer to differences in health outcomes and access to healthcare that are based on ethnic identity. Immigration status plays a role in this type of health disparity.
Socioeconomic Disparities: These refer to differences in health outcomes and access to healthcare that are based on socioeconomic status or income. Lower-income individuals tend to have higher rates of disease and mortality and limited access to quality care.
Gender Disparities: These refer to differences in health outcomes and access to healthcare that are based on gender identity. Women tend to have higher rates of chronic illnesses than men and experience barriers to reproductive healthcare.
Sexual Orientation Disparities: These refer to differences in health outcomes and access to healthcare that are based on sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBTQ+ individuals tend to experience discrimination and stigma in healthcare and have higher rates of mental health issues.
Disability Disparities: These refer to differences in health outcomes and access to healthcare that are based on disability status. Individuals with disabilities face barriers to care and accommodation, which can impact their overall health.
- "Individuals who have consistently been deprived of these three determinants are significantly disadvantaged from health inequities, and face worse health outcomes than those who are able to access certain resources."
- "It is not equity to simply provide every individual with the same resources; that would be equality."
- "In order to achieve health equity, resources must be allocated based on an individual need-based principle."
- "According to the World Health Organization, 'Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity'."
- "The quality of health and how health is distributed among economic and social status in a society can provide insight into the level of development within that society."
- "Health is a basic human right and human need, and all human rights are interconnected. Thus, health must be discussed along with all other basic human rights."
- "Health equity is defined by the CDC as 'the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health'."
- "These inequities may include differences in the 'presence of disease, health outcomes, or access to health care': 3 between populations with a different race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or socioeconomic status."
- "It is important to distinguish between health inequity and health inequality. Health inequality is the term used in a number of countries to refer to those instances whereby the health of two demographic groups (not necessarily ethnic or racial groups) differs despite similar access to health care services."
- "It can be further described as differences in health that are avoidable, unfair, and unjust, and cannot be explained by natural causes, such as biology, or differences in choice."
- "Thus, if one population dies younger than another because of genetic differences, a non-remediable/controllable factor, we tend to say that there is a health inequality."
- "On the other hand, if a population has a lower life expectancy due to lack of access to medications, the situation would be classified as a health inequity."
- "These inequities may include differences in the 'presence of disease, health outcomes, or access to health care'."
- "Although it is important to recognize the difference in health equity and equality, having equality in health is essential to begin achieving health equity."
- "The importance of equitable access to healthcare has been cited as crucial to achieving many of the Millennium Development Goals."