Lecture 5: Health Equity, Racism, and Social Determinants of Health in Policy

intersectionality

the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage

equity

fairness or justice in the distribution of a policy's costs, benefits, and risks

upstream thinking

influencing determinants of health prior to the development of poor health or even physiological changes that would lead to poor health

culture

refers to learned knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of groups of people

social determinants of health

the social and environmental conditions in which people live and work

1. neighborhood and built environment

2. economic stability

3. education

4. social and community context

5. health and health care

what are the social determinants of health?

race

a social construct with no biological foundation and is not a useful clinical marker for disease

racism

a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race

-health disparities = differences in health among population groups

-health inequities = health outcomes that are unfair or stem from injustice

differentiate health inequity from health disparity