What is Health Equity and Why Is It Important?
The attainment of the highest level of health for all people, where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their optimal health regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, preferred language or other factors that affect access to care and health outcomes.
Providing equitable care means considering a person’s circumstances, culture, and beliefs so services can be delivered to allow people to achieve optimal health. If all aspects of a person’s life are not considered amidst their overall health, they may experience health disparities resulting in worse outcomes and thus a poorer quality of life. Health disparities are not just harmful, but expensive.
The Great Plains QIN Team has developed several Q-Tips for Your Ears podcast episodes on topics centered around health equity. Take a few minutes to listen and learn; these episodes are geared for the general public and can used as tools to aid in understanding.
NEW – Implicit Bias
Learn about what makes a bias an implicit bias and the power and potential harm of implicit bias.
Health Equity – What it is and Why it is Important
Familiarize yourself with what health equity is and learn about some of the different areas that influence an individual or a communities in achieving their best health.
Health Disparities – Understand the Difference in Health Outcomes
Health disparities exist in every community. Understanding how they are identified and how this information is utilized may help you understand and be aware of your communities’ efforts or needs.
Social Determinants of Health
Understand what social drivers are and how they impact the health of individuals and communities.
Health Literacy
Improving health literacy is one way to advance health equity. Understand what health literacy is, who it affects and strategies that can be done to improve health literacy.
Cultural Humility
Learn what cultural humility is and how it can impact building trusting relationships and health outcomes.
Check out all Q-Tips For Your Ears Episodes
Continuing the Conversation Series. This Webinar series was intended to continue the conversation; creating a space to dive into some of the interdependent components that impact the ability to achieve health equity. Leaders and subject matter experts across the Dakotas shared their expertise, personal experiences, best practices, and application strategies. Recordings and presentation materials are available for review and use.
To learn more about health equity, visit our Health Equity page.