Health disparities are important to recognize because they provide a metric to measure progress toward advancing health equity. Individuals living in rural areas have limited access to a variety of services, including health care, which creates an increased level of health disparities compared to their urban counterparts. The public health workforce has a key role to play in recognizing health disparities and advancing health equity.
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Sandra Melstad, PhD, MPH, of SLM Consulting, promotes health equity by building the capacity of the local, regional, and national public health workforce through training, strategic planning, and workforce development. “There is a lot of great work happening across the Great Plains, and it can only improve with an intentional focus on advancing health equity. Health equity principles have been integrated into many facets of public health practice, spanning workplans, state plans, to evaluation metrics.” |
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“There is a lot of great work happening across the Great Plains, and it can only improve with an intentional focus on advancing health equity. Health equity principles have been integrated into many facets of public health practice, spanning workplans, state plans, to evaluation metrics.”
Melstad’s mixed methods dissertation research study focused on understanding the capacity of public health professionals across South Dakota to advance heath equity, including in rural and tribal communities. She will highlight details and engage participants in interactive exercises to support health equity during the Addressing Health Equity in the Dakotas webinar hosted by Great Plains QIN and the South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care on April 26, 2022, at 3:00 PM CT. [Details are included below].
”I am currently working on publishing findings from my research for broader dissemination and, hopefully, the impact of this research will help inform public health practice, policy, education, and further research to help advance health equity and build the capacity of the public health workforce to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to achieve their full health potential,” Melstad explained.
Factors such as policies, cultural norms and values, socioeconomic position, and access to resources all play a role in shaping health inequities. Recognizing and addressing these factors can help to build healthy communities where people live, work, learn, and play.
“Health inequities are impacted by a variety of factors that are often intertwined. Advancing health equity takes time and requires addressing the root causes,” added Melstad.
| The County Health Rankings model highlights the impact of policies and programs and health factors on achieving positive health outcomes. As diversity in rural communities grows, minority groups with historically high rates of chronic conditions will face a collection of barriers for achieving positive health outcomes. Adopting positive health-related behaviors is one strategy that can impact the rate of disparities. |
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Melstad supports the development, implementation, and evaluation of public health programs focused on improving chronic disease prevention and control, where integration of a health equity lens has been a guiding principle.
The Rural Health Information Hub offers the Social Determinants of Health in Rural Communities Toolkit, a collection of evidence-based and promising models and resources to address social determinants of health in rural communities across the United States.
Melstad concluded, “Every touchpoint is progress on the roadmap to advance health equity. I hope to build healthy communities and work upstream to advance health equity through a breadth of public health practice, including multi-sector collaboration and community engagement of people impacted by health inequities.”
Source: Q Insider | April 11, 2022
Great Plains QIN Webinar: Addressing Health Equity in the Dakotas
April 26, 2022 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM CT
Life is complicated and every person faces different challenges. Social, economic, and environmental factors where people live, work, learn, and play have a profound impact on overall health. It is important to acknowledge health disparities because they provide a metric to measure progress toward advancing health equity.
Addressing health disparities leads to improved quality of life. Policies, cultural norms and values, and access to resources play a role in shaping health inequities. As trusted community members, healthcare professionals may recognize health disparities and provide valuable resources. This webinar will highlight these issues and opportunities to address health disparities and advance health equity.
Speaker:
Sandra Melstad, PhD, MPH | Public Health Consultant, SLM Consulting LLC
Objectives:
- Describe the relationship and impact of social determinants of health, health disparities, and health equity on populations
- Compare health disparities in urban versus rural populations
- Understand unconscious bias and the role it plays in healthcare settings
- Identify opportunities to advance health equity in healthcare settings and beyond
Co-sponsored by the South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care
