What is Health Equity? Episode 2 of "That's Public Health"

Summary

In this video, Mighty Fine from the American Public Health Association uses the baseball stadium analogy to explain health equity. Some people have easy access to resources like healthcare and clean water, while others struggle with basic needs. Health disparities are highlighted, such as the racial inequity in maternal health. The video emphasizes the need for an equity approach that provides extra support to those with less access, like improving water infrastructure in underfunded neighborhoods, to ensure everyone can live their healthiest life.

Takeaways

• 🏥 Health equity is about ensuring everyone has fair access to resources and services necessary for a healthy life.
• 🚀 The baseball analogy illustrates how some people have easier access to health resources than others due to various factors.
• 👩‍⚕️ Health disparities are differences in health outcomes that are avoidable, unnecessary, and unjust.
• 🧬 While some health outcomes are due to unchangeable factors like age or genetics, many are caused by social determinants of health.
• 💼 Social determinants of health include education, income, employment status, and housing, which significantly impact health.
• 👶 Racial inequity, like the higher mortality rate among Black mothers during childbirth, is an example of health disparities rooted in systemic issues.
• 🌐 Addressing health disparities requires more than just equality; it necessitates an equity approach that considers individual needs and circumstances.
• 💧 Lack of access to basic resources, such as clean water and plumbing, disproportionately affects certain communities and is a health equity concern.
• 🏛️ Historical underfunding of infrastructure in less affluent neighborhoods contributes to ongoing health disparities.
• 🤝 The American Public Health Association (APHA) recommends collaborative efforts by governments and public services to address health equity.
• 🌟 Health equity aims to improve everyone's health by tackling avoidable and unjust health differences and providing necessary support.

Q & A

What is the concept of health equity as discussed in the transcript?

Health equity refers to a public health approach that aims to ensure everyone has the opportunity to live their healthiest possible life, with a focus on addressing avoidable, unnecessary, and unjust health differences.

How does the baseball stadium analogy illustrate the concept of health equity?

The baseball stadium analogy demonstrates health equity by showing how some people have natural advantages (like height) or access to resources (like milk crates) to see the game, while others do not. This highlights how some individuals have better access to health resources and services, while others face barriers.

What are social determinants of health mentioned in the script?

Social determinants of health include factors such as a person's education, income, employment status, and housing, which can significantly impact their health.

Why is addressing health disparities important in public health?

Addressing health disparities is important because it focuses on reducing the unfair and unequal distribution of health resources and opportunities, ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to achieve their best possible health.

What is the difference between health equity and health equality as discussed in the transcript?

Health equity focuses on giving everyone the chance to live their healthiest life, with extra attention to those who face barriers due to a lack of access or opportunities. Health equality, on the other hand, would mean providing the same assistance to all, which doesn't always address the different needs and challenges faced by various groups.

How does the script explain the impact of medical racism on Black mothers' health?

The script explains that Black mothers are almost three times more likely to die in childbirth than white mothers, and they are less likely to have access to quality prenatal care. This disparity is not due to biological reasons but is rooted in historical and ongoing medical racism towards Black women.

What is the role of the American Public Health Association (APHA) in addressing health equity?

The APHA plays a role in addressing health equity by recommending that federal and local governments use additional funds to improve water infrastructure in less affluent neighborhoods, and by encouraging collaboration among various public service branches to identify and provide specific support communities need.

Why is it important to consider the historical context when discussing health disparities?

Considering the historical context is important because it helps to understand the root causes of current health disparities, such as the legacy of medical racism or underfunding in certain neighborhoods, which can inform more effective and equitable solutions.

What are some examples of health disparities mentioned in the script?

Some examples of health disparities mentioned include the higher likelihood of Black mothers dying in childbirth compared to white mothers, and the lack of access to clean water and plumbing in certain communities, which disproportionately affects communities of color, children, older adults, and low-income or rural communities.

How can public health professionals work towards health equity?

Public health professionals can work towards health equity by focusing on providing the specific support needed by communities facing health disparities, ensuring access to resources and opportunities, and advocating for policies that address the social determinants of health.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Introduction to Health Equity

In this introductory paragraph, Mighty Fine from the American Public Health Association sets the stage for a discussion on health equity. The analogy of a baseball game with a fence blocking the view is used to illustrate the disparities in access to health resources. Some people can easily see the game, representing those with access to healthcare and other necessities, while others struggle, symbolizing those who face barriers to basic needs. The concept of health disparities rooted in social determinants of health, such as education, income, and housing, is introduced, highlighting how these factors can lead to avoidable health differences and inequalities.

Keywords

💡Health Equity

Health equity refers to the state where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. It is a central theme of the video, emphasizing the need to address disparities in health outcomes that are avoidable and unjust. The video uses the baseball stadium analogy to illustrate health equity, where everyone should have a fair chance to 'see the game,' or in real terms, access to health care and other health determinants.

💡Public Health

Public health encompasses the organized efforts of society to protect and improve the health and well-being of all members. In the video, public health is discussed in the context of addressing health disparities and working towards health equity. It involves the collective actions of communities, governments, and other organizations to ensure that everyone has access to the resources they need to be healthy.

💡Social Determinants of Health

The social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. These circumstances are shaped by the distribution of money, power, and resources at global, national, and local levels. The video mentions education, income, employment status, and housing as examples, highlighting how these factors can lead to health disparities.

💡Health Disparity

Health disparity refers to the differences in health outcomes and conditions that are closely linked to social, economic, and environmental disadvantages. The video uses the example of Black mothers being almost three times more likely to die in childbirth than white mothers to illustrate health disparities, which are often the result of systemic inequalities.

💡Medical Racism

Medical racism is a form of racial bias that affects the quality of healthcare and health outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities. In the video, it is mentioned as a contributing factor to the health disparities faced by Black women, who are less likely to have access to quality prenatal care despite there being no biological reason for this disparity.

💡Healthcare Access

Healthcare access refers to the ease with which individuals can obtain healthcare services. The video discusses how some people struggle to get the basics, like healthcare, due to various barriers, which is a significant factor in health equity. It also uses the example of an online portal for vaccinations, highlighting that while it's a great tool, it doesn't help those without internet or transportation access.

💡Equality vs. Equity

Equality and equity are often confused but have distinct meanings. Equality implies treating everyone the same, while equity is about fairness and recognizing that some individuals may need more support or different types of support. The video argues for an equity approach in public health, which aims to give everyone the chance to live their healthiest life, with extra attention to those who face barriers to health.

💡Running Water and Plumbing

Access to running water and plumbing is a basic necessity for health and hygiene. The video points out that more than 2 million people in the U.S. do not have access to these basic amenities, which can lead to serious health issues like infections. This lack of access disproportionately affects communities of color, children, older adults, and low-income or rural communities.

💡Water Infrastructure

Water infrastructure refers to the systems that supply water to homes and communities. The video discusses how historically, less affluent neighborhoods have not received adequate funding to maintain or improve their water infrastructure, leading to poor water quality and health issues. It suggests that addressing this issue equitably involves improving water infrastructure in these underserved areas.

💡Intersectoral Collaboration

Intersectoral collaboration involves different sectors of society, such as government, schools, hospitals, and public service branches, working together to address complex issues. The video mentions that APHA recommends such collaboration to identify and provide the specific support communities need to ensure everyone can live their healthiest possible life.

Highlights

Health equity is discussed using the analogy of a baseball game with a wooden fence, illustrating how some people have better access to resources and services.

Health disparities are compared to the differences in height and the use of milk crates, emphasizing the impact of access to resources on health outcomes.

The concept of health equity is introduced as a public health approach to address avoidable, unnecessary, and unjust health differences.

Social determinants of health, such as education, income, and housing, are identified as nonmedical factors that contribute to health disparities.

Racial inequity is exemplified by the higher mortality rates of Black mothers during childbirth compared to white mothers, highlighting the role of medical racism.

The importance of addressing health disparities with an equity approach is emphasized, rather than just equality, to ensure everyone's health is improved.

The example of an online vaccination portal is used to illustrate the limitations of one-size-fits-all solutions in addressing health disparities.

The issue of over 2 million people in the U.S. lacking access to running water or plumbing is highlighted as a health equity concern.

Communities of color, children, older adults, and low-income or rural communities are disproportionately affected by poor water quality.

Historical underfunding of water infrastructure in less affluent neighborhoods is identified as a contributing factor to health disparities.

The American Public Health Association (APHA) recommends using additional funding to improve water infrastructure in underprivileged neighborhoods.

Collaboration between governments, schools, hospitals, and public services is suggested to provide specific support needed by communities.

The video concludes by defining health equity as a public health approach that works to improve everyone's health by addressing unjust health differences.

The video is part of a series created by Complexly and APHA to shed light on the important work of public health.

Transcripts

Hi, I’m Mighty Fine, I’m an expert with the American Public Health Association, and

today we’re going to talk about health equity. Let’s imagine that you’re a baseball fan

on your way to a game. But when you reach the stadium, there’s

a wooden fence blocking the view. Some people are standing on milk crates to catch a glimpse.

Some are tall enough to not even need a crate, but they’re standing on a whole stack of

them anyway. And some are standing in a ditch, where even

a crate couldn’t help them. So some get to see the game and some don’t.

We face a similar situation in public health. There are people who can easily access whatever

resources and services they need, and others who struggle to get the basics, like health

care, clean water, safe housing, education and a liveable wage.

Which means that certain groups of people are more at risk for diseases but have less

ability to get treatment. So they may be more likely to get severely sick or die from treatable

and even preventable diseases. Let’s go back to our baseball example to

explain more. Just like a difference in height helped some people see the game, many health

outcomes are a result of things we can’t change, like age or genetics.

Bones become more brittle as we age, so we’d expect 80 year olds as a group to suffer more

hip fractures than 30-somethings. On the other hand, back at the game some people

weren’t naturally tall enough to see and didn’t have any crates, and others were

forced to stand in a ditch. Likewise, many gaps in health

trends are caused by a lack of access to various resources, and are rooted in unfairness.

A person’s education, income, employment status, and housing all have an impact on

their health. These are what we call the social determinants of health. And when nonmedical

factors like these contribute to a difference in health, we call that difference a health

disparity. Like Black mothers are almost three times

more likely to die in childbirth than white mothers, and are less likely to have access

to quality prenatal care. There’s no biological reason for this, but there is a strong history

of medical racism towards Black women. So this is an example of

racial inequity, or the unfair and unequal distribution of resources along racial lines.

When addressing health disparities, some focus on equality, which would mean giving the same

assistance to all. But this doesn’t often work in practice, because some people need

more support or a different kind of support than others.

An online portal that lets you quickly sign up for vaccinations is a great idea, but for

people who don’t have internet access or a car to get to the vaccine clinic, it’s

still a one-size-doesn’t-fit-all solution. That’s why public health professionals are

focusing on equity. An equity approach strives to give everyone the chance to live their

healthiest possible life, but gives extra attention to those who face ill health because

of a lack of access or opportunities. Like the more than 2 million people in the

U.S. who don’t have access to running water or plumbing. Some of these folks have no choice

but to get water through old, poorly-maintained pipes, which can lead to serious infections.

And the people affected by poor water quality are disproportionately communities of color,

children, older adults and low-income or rural communities.

Historically, less affluent neighborhoods haven’t received enough funding to fix their

water infrastructure. To make sure this problem is handled equitably,

APHA recommends that federal and local governments use any extra money to improve the water infrastructure

in those neighborhoods. APHA also recommends that governments, schools,

hospitals, and other branches of public service work together to identify and provide the

specific support the communities need, so everyone can live their healthiest possible

life. So that’s health equity in a nutshell: a

public health approach that tackles health differences which are avoidable, unnecessary

and unjust, and works to improve everyone’s health.

Thanks for watching! This video is part of a series created by Complexly and the American

Public Health Association to shed a little light on the important work that public health

does. To learn more, visit APHA.org.