Health Equity
REDUCING PREMATURE BIRTHS WITH A COMMUNITY-BASED, PERSONALIZED APPROACH
An expectant mother, just weeks from her due date, was having difficulty getting to her pre-natal appointments. She needed specialized care for her high-risk pregnancy but couldn’t afford gas for her car. As a result, she was missing these critical weekly appointments with her obstetrician. A pregnancy with prenatal care is more likely to...
A morning spent at a mother’s side as she gives birth – the afternoon spent in the office running a business focused on maternal health. For Kenda Sutton-EL, it’s all in a day’s work, and her work is vital. Kenda is co-founder and executive director of Birth in Color RVA, a birth, policy, and advocacy...
“ALL OF US”: A RESEARCH PROGRAM FOCUSED ON THE INDIVIDUAL
“The average American commutes one hour a day.” “The average American sees a doctor four times a year.” How many times have you heard statistics like this? The often-discussed “average American” is a combination of the American people’s diverse traits, needs, and experiences to develop one generic point of reference. Most medical care and treatment...
IMPROVING CULTURAL HUMILITY IN HEALTHCARE
What elements do you consider when you think of a person’s culture? Race, ethnicity, and religion typically are top of mind. However, culture is also shaped by geography, gender identity, values and beliefs, language, family structure and lived experiences. Considering cultural influences and further introducing cultural humility into healthcare can help advance health equity. Failing...
The terms equity and equality are sometimes used interchangeably, but they’re actually different concepts. Equality means that everyone is treated the same. Equity, however, considers each person’s unique situation to ensure that everyone is operating on a level playing field. As the saying goes, equality is giving everyone the same pair of shoes; equity is...
Not everyone in the United States has the same access to quality healthcare, community support, a healthy environment, and social stability. Those differences can cause health and healthcare disparities. What are health disparities? Simply put, disparities are differences in health outcomes for some groups of people that create barriers to their optimal health. Healthy People...
One health equity definition is the idea that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible, regardless of their circumstances. For health equity to exist, we must eliminate obstacles to health. Some of these obstacles arise because of discrimination based on race, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, where someone...
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY: REFLECTING ON DR. KING’S LEGACY AND IMPACT ON HEALTH EQUITY
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we pay tribute to the American civil rights leader, and reflect on the impact of his mission to achieve equality for Black Americans in the United States. Health companies have a responsibility to support a system that advances health equity, which we define as everyone having a fair and just opportunity...