Health Equity Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Speaker: Mighty Fine, expert from the American Public Health Association.
• Topic: Health equity.

Baseball Analogy

• Imagine a baseball game:
  • Barrier: Wooden fence blocking the view.
  • Different Perspectives:
    • Some stand on milk crates to see.
    • Some are tall enough without crates.
    • Others are in a ditch, unable to see.
• Public Health Parallel:
  • Access to resources and services varies.
  • Some have easy access to healthcare, clean water, etc.
  • Others struggle with basic needs leading to health disparities.

Social Determinants of Health

• Definition: Non-medical factors affecting health outcomes.
• Key social determinants include:
  • Education
  • Income
  • Employment status
  • Housing
• Health Disparity: Differences in health outcomes due to these factors.
  • Example: Black mothers are nearly three times more likely to die in childbirth than white mothers.
  • Root cause: Medical racism, not biology.

Racial Inequity

• Definition: Unfair distribution of resources along racial lines.
• Importance of addressing health disparities:
  • Focusing solely on equality (same assistance for all) may not work.
  • Some individuals need more or different support.

Equity Approach in Public Health

• Equity vs. Equality:
  • Equity: Provides necessary resources for those facing more barriers.
  • Equality: Same assistance regardless of need.
• Example of inequity: Online vaccination portals not accessible to those without internet or transportation.

Specific Health Concerns

• Over 2 million people in the US lack access to running water and plumbing.
• Poor water quality affects:
  • Communities of color
  • Children
  • Older adults
  • Low-income or rural communities
• Historical lack of funding for infrastructure in less affluent neighborhoods.

Recommendations by APHA

• Federal and local governments should:
  • Allocate extra funds to improve water infrastructure in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
• Collaboration among:
  • Governments
  • Schools
  • Hospitals
  • Other public services to identify community needs.

Conclusion

• Health equity: A public health approach addressing avoidable, unnecessary, and unjust health differences.
• Goal: Improve health for everyone.
• Additional resources: Visit APHA.org for more information.