Hi everyone! I hope your week is off to a great start.
Preventing Chronic Disease Journal has just released
Healthy People 2020 defines health equity as the attainment of the highest level of health for people: "Achieving health equity requires valuing everyone equally with focused and ongoing societal efforts to address avoidable inequalities [and] historical and contemporary injustices . . . and to eliminate disparities in health and health care." Although a wealth of frameworks on social determinants of health (SDOH) exists, they have limitations, including: 1) the superficial description of factors that affect health and 2) a lack of focus on measuring health equity. Considering this inquiry, we propose that if we are to truly engage in equity work, all interventions and accompanying implementation strategies must address SDOH - the broad range of social, economic, political, and psychosocial factors that directly or indirectly shape health outcomes and contribute to health disparities. Health is not just the absence of disease but also the presence of resources and supports that people need to thrive.
This collection features 11 peer-reviewed articles that highlight the critical roles that place, partnerships, and community-based participatory research play in efforts to achieve health equity. Content in this collection will help elevate the role of public health in research, public health practice, and awareness.
Please share your thoughts if you have the chance to review the collection!
All the best,
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Ebonie Megibow
Health Equity Research Analyst
Association of American Medical Colleges
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