Health equity is the idea that all people have the right to access and benefit from health care, no matter their socioeconomic status. When this happens, everyone has equal access to care, which leads to increased positive health outcomes. In other words, it’s when everyone has equivalent opportunities for good health. Here’s what you need to learn more about health equity:
Contents
What Is Health Equity?
Health equity is a concept that has been used in health services research and practice to examine inequities between groups of people over time, based on socioeconomic status (SES). SES is a characteristic of a person that is determined by the person’s social position in relation to others in society. SES is determined by variables such as income, education, occupation, and residence. It is often used as a synonym for health status, but health equity is a broader and more systemic concept than health status. When it comes to quantifying and assessing health equity, researchers have been focusing on some key social and health disparities, including health care access, utilization, and quality and health service outcomes. And, in today’s health care system, health equity is also closely related to health outcomes.
Why Does Health Equity Matter?
Health equity is essential to the health of all people and should be seen as a human right. Living in a country that does not value health equity is like living in a country where some people have more rights than others. When people who face specific health disparities do not have access to the same health resources, it can impact their lives in significant ways. These disparities can result from social and environmental factors, as well as genetics. For example, people who experience racism, or who belong to racial minorities, have a higher chance of experiencing health disparities. Health equity is also important because it benefits everyone, regardless of their SES. If people at all socioeconomic levels receive the same amount of care, then everyone will benefit from it. For example, if more middle-class people receive lifesaving heart surgery, then more middle-class people will benefit from the surgery, and less people at the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum will die from heart disease.
The Benefits of Health Equity
* Better health outcomes – Health equity is associated with better health outcomes, such as lower rates of mortality and higher life expectancy. * Better access to care – People with lower SES have a higher rate of delaying medical care because of cost, but people with health equity are more likely to receive recommended preventive services, including immunizations and screenings for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. * Increased health equity – Adequate health equity is associated with fewer people experiencing health disparities and improved health outcomes for these groups.
The Barriers to Health Equity
Health equity is a concept that has been used in health services research and practice to examine inequities between groups of people over time, based on socioeconomic status (SES). When we look at health equity in the United States, we can see that health disparities are present across many different areas, including SES, race/ethnicity, gender, age, geography, and access to care. While health equity has the potential to improve the health of individuals and communities, the concept is also complicated. To ensure that health equity is achieved, it is important to identify the barriers that are preventing health equity from occurring. It is also possible that health-related perceptions, such as a lack of trust in the health care system, can play a role.
Conclusion
Health equity is a concept that has been used in health services research and practice to examine inequities between groups of people over time, based on socioeconomic status (SES). When we look at health equity in the U.S., we can see that health disparities are present across many areas, including SES, race/ethnicity, gender, age, geography, and access to care. Health equity has the potential to improve the health of individuals and communities, but it is also complicated. There are several possible explanations for the disparities that health equity addresses, such as an unequal distribution of genes and environmental factors that affect health. It is important to identify the barriers that prevent health equity from occurring so that they can be addressed.
