“Equity in health is the absence of systematic disparities in health between groups with different levels of underlying social advantage/disadvantage—that is, wealth, power, or prestige. Inequities in health systematically put groups of people who are already socially disadvantaged (for example, by virtue of being poor, female, and/or members of a disenfranchised racial, ethnic, or religious group) at further disadvantage with respect to their health”

~Dr. Braveman and Dr. Gruskin “Defining equity in health” Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2003;57:254-258;

What are some quick examples of health inequity?

  • 1 in 20 individuals living in the District of Columbia have HIV ~District of Columbia Department of Health, 2007
  • American Indians and Alaska Natives are 2.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than whites ~CDC Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, 2000
  • African Americans have more malignant tumors and are less likely to survive than the general population ~CDC Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, 2000
  • If you are a woman, it is more likely that you will be poor, in that 70% of the world’s poor are women~ Information Kit, Decade for the Eradication of Poverty 1997-2006, UNDP

Need quick answers to questions you may have?

I’m just a public health student, not an expert. For answers from the experts, please go here