Progress on Major Public Health Challenges: The Importance of Equity

Abstract

Health disparities are "avoidable inequalities in health between groups of people within countries and between countries." 1 In the United States, these differences among population groups in the attainment of full health potential are reflected in shorter life expectancy and higher rates of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, trauma and violence, substance use, infant mortality, and low birth weight among socially disadvantaged groups compared with socially advantaged groups. Disparities exist across many dimensions, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, socioeconomic status, refugee or migrant status, and geographic location-even between neighborhoods in close proximity to one another. Health disparities reflect social injustice because these differences in health across groups are unnecessary, avoidable, and unfair. 2 Health equity is "when every person has the opportunity to 'attain his or her full health potential' and no one is 'disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or other socially determined circumstances.'" 3 Achieving equity in health requires a societal willingness to address challenges associated with the social determinants of health, including racism and bigotry, poverty, residential segregation, substandard housing, low-quality education, limited employment opportunities, lack of public safety, unequal access to and quality of health care, and the lack of neighborhood amenities and resources that enable people to maintain and improve their health. 3,4 During the past 30 years, dramatic improvements in health status and reductions in infant and premature mortality have been achieved in the United States. However, differences in life expectancy among educational and income groups have increased. 3,5,6 Rates of morbidity and mortality among some minority groups, including African American,

Protecting the vulnerable during COVID-19: Treating and preventing chronic disease disparities

“…Solving the complex health disparities impacting vulnerable populations requires the collaboration of diverse stakeholders within healthcare, public health, social services, and government. These partnerships must leverage community-based participatory research (CBPR) and relationship-centered principles to enhance the innovation, relevance, and effectiveness of interventions, programs, and policies 22 . CBPR principles include building upon resources within the community; facilitating collaborative, equitable partnerships; focusing on local public health problems; and committing to long-term sustainability 23 .…”

Adverse Childhood Experiences among Adults in North Carolina, USA: Influences on Risk Factors for Poor Health across the Lifespan and Intergenerational Implications

“…Health disparities, often rooted in social determinants of health, are a pressing public health challenge in the United States as researchers and numerous policy makers strive for health equity [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Within this scope, in recent years, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have emerged in the public health research and practice fields as a critical factor linked with health disparities across the lifespan [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ].…”

Policy and Public Health

“…Policy can have powerful effects on the complex, multisectoral factors that influence the population-level morbidity, mortality, and health disparities of these and other diseases. [1][2][3][4] Public health policy approaches comprise laws, regulations, incentive systems, or other standardized procedures and practices aimed at influencing institutional and individual behavior to improve health and health equity. 5,6 Laws and policies that were not designed to achieve health-related objectives also can have important, albeit unintended, health effects.…”