Defining the Roles of Health Equity Approach to People’s Health
People’s health is determined by their physicalPeople’snal, andPeople’senvironments. Both biological and structural factors can influence these environments.
These factors include poverty, racism, sexism, ableism, classism, and more. These conditions lead to health inequities and can be remedied through policies that promote fair access.
Social determinants of health
The social determinants of health equity approach are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. They include socioeconomic status, education, neighborhood and physical environment, employment, and social support networks.
Social determinants of health are not a cure-all for poor health, but addressing them can positively impact health outcomes and reduce health disparities. In addition, as more healthcare systems shift to value-based payment models, social determinants of health are becoming increasingly crucial to the success of these initiatives (source).
Creating and implementing programs that address social determinants of health is best done in partnership with community groups and organizations from all community sectors. Involving these groups in the initiative’s planning, implementation, and evaluation helps to ownership.
In Canada, the social determinants of health have been outlined in public policy through the Commission on Social Determinants of Health. In 2008, the Commission called for governments to recognize and address the importance of these determinants as a critical component of promoting healthy lives.
However, as the current administration pursues new directions that could limit resources and initiatives focused on these efforts, attention is being drawn to broader approaches that take a more comprehensive view of health and the role of social, economic, and environmental factors in influencing it. As a result, federal and state governments and the private sector are developing strategies to integrate community services with clinical health.
Health care
Health equity refers to the opportunity for everyone to attain their highest possible health. This is a goal that all healthcare organizations, no matter what their size, should work toward.
It also includes achieving access to healthcare for people who may not be able to afford it or have the time to use it. These include those with low incomes, those living in rural areas, or those without transportation options.
Many factors contribute to poor health outcomes, including poverty, racial and ethnic inequality, environmental hazards, physical inactivity and obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and unhealthy diets. These conditions can lead to disease and disability, as well as premature death.
Efforts to reduce health disparities must be based on systems approaches that shift interconnected aspects of public health problems. These efforts can involve addressing social determinants of health, providing more access to healthcare, promoting diversity and cultural competence among providers, and increasing the availability of data on disparities.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has developed a Framework to advance health equity among Medicare beneficiaries. This Framework outlines five priority areas to focus on over the next ten years as CMS further embeds equity into its programs.
Health care providers
Everyone deserves to be healthy, yet not everyone has access to the resources they need to achieve that goal. In addition, poverty in addition, poverty, racism, ableism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination and oppression make it difficult for people to live healthily.
Despite this, many public health programs have successfully addressed these social determinants of health (SDOH) to improve population health. In addition, these programs often involve partnerships between healthcare providers and community organizations to address SDOH and reduce disparities.
A key element of achieving health equity is to increase patient trust and engagement. This is critical in improving access to services and health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
Healthcare providers have a unique role in defining the roles of health equity approaches to people because they are responsible for ensuring that patients have equitable access to care. They also play an essential role in advancing health equity by addressing discrimination and oppression issues.
While many healthcare providers commit to improving health equity, others do not. This is especially true of independent hospitals that have traditionally been self-funded and for physicians who work independently and are paid fee-for-service.
Whether a provider is part of a hospital system or an independent practice, they must shift their approach to healthcare delivery. As fee-for-service reimbursement models are being replaced with performance-based payment systems, they will have to develop new strategies that balance the needs of patients with the financial pressures of their business model. This transition is not a linear process, and it will take time to develop new ways of operating.
Community
A person’s health equity is affected by social and economic their access to healthy foods, suitable housing, good schools, and safe neighborhoods. These conditions are called social determinants of health (SDOH).
The distribution of these factors creates health inequities. They include race and ethnicity, social class, disability, language, national origin, religion, gender, gender expression, geographic location, and neighborhood conditions.
To reduce health inequities, we must address all of these factors simultaneously. This means addressing issues in the social, economic, and political arenas. It also requires a community approach.
The policy is a strategy that seeks to influence the decisions, actions, and rules or regulations that govern our collective daily life. It can be created and enforced by organizations, businesses and corporations, communities, or the government at the local, state, or federal levels.
A community-based approach to reducing health inequities involves engaging leadership, key constituents, and the public across multiple sectors. This process aims to change policies, systems, and behaviors that harm the social determinants of health.
One way to promote this is by involving people of all racial and ethnic groups in enacting change. This is important for understanding how policies affect different populations and whether they will help or hurt them.
To promote health equity, a community should develop partnerships with organizations and community agencies that can implement policies or other changes. These partnerships should encourage broad participation and work to build unity among social groups most affected by health inequities. They should also keep all voices in mind when designing projects and planning community-wide approaches to improve health equity.
