A New Definition Of Health Equity To Guide Future Efforts And Measure Progress

https://goo.gl/RmsfTB

Where We Landed

After months of research, reflection, and consultation with some of the nation’s leaders in health disparities and health equity research and policy, we landed on the following definition:

Health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This requires removing obstacles to health such as poverty, discrimination, and their consequences, including powerlessness and lack of access to good jobs with fair pay, quality education and housing, safe environments, and health care.

And because we wanted to ensure accountability, we added the following:

For the purposes of measurement, health equity means reducing and ultimately eliminating disparities in health and its determinants that adversely affect excluded or marginalized groups.

Is this definition perfect? No. Does everyone need to use these exact words? Absolutely not.

A more detailed explanation of the rationale behind this definition is provided in the RWJF report, which also outlines key steps toward achieving health equity, presents principles to guide efforts and definitions of terms that often arise in discussions of health equity, and offers examples of programs and policies that are advancing health equity.

In addition to the examples highlighted in this report, there are others in the recent National Academy of Medicine report, Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity. It’s one of the most downloaded reports on the Academy’s website, a significant achievement just a few months after its release. The report warns that persistent health disparities pose “severe consequences” for America and calls for action to make health equity a top priority for the nation. It highlights nine communities across the United States that are taking steps to address health inequities and calls on leaders from sectors such as education, transportation, housing, planning, public health, and business to join this effort.