*Dr Kanika Chandra and Amadeo Brandon talks about health equity in US and India and highlights that health equity is a complex multifaceted issue that affects the entire healthcare system in the country. It is essentially the attainment of optimal health outcomes that is appropriate and fair for all diverse patient demographics in a healthcare system
The United States is one of the most developed nations in the world, yet even with great health expenditures, it continues to suffer from health disparities. As per the World Health Organisation health is a fundamental human right, and health equity is when there is absence of any preventable, avoidable difference among communities or diverse population. Achieving health equity is one of the most salient aspects of public health.
Many factors contribute to health disparities such as poverty, stigma, racism, lack of education, and more, according to several government entities such as the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. For example, it was the marginalised populations in the US, who had to bear the brunt of the highest morbidity and mortality related to COVID-19.
Health equity is a complex multifaceted issue that affects the entire healthcare system in the country. It is essentially the attainment of optimal health outcomes that is appropriate and fair for all diverse patient demographics in a healthcare system. It entails advocating & engaging in multiple sectors, relying on stakeholders & practitioners to facilitate change to improve efforts for matters such as insurance parity, health literacy, and cultural barriers for care. The first and foremost step is to acknowledge the need to improve the social determinants of health and make collective efforts to improve educational access, support the lower socio-economic strata, improve health literacy, and make healthcare affordable and accessible for the marginalised and the vulnerable demographics across the United States., according to the Department of Health & Human Services. Healthcare professionals need to be culturally competent and sensitive and practice with empathy and compassion when dealing with all. This will build strong rapport between the healthcare providers and patients and lay a foundation of trust on which various healthcare programs and initiatives can be structured. Involving the community is important as well, so that their needs and interests are acknowledged as well.
Public health advocacy has a huge role to play in helping to achieve health equity. Advocacy creates awareness, builds collaborations, educates, highlights system issues, and garners support from within and outside of a community.
The Activist Lab at the University of South Florida College of Public Health provides students the opportunity to develop and hone skills in advocacy and leadership in public health. It was developed and led by USF Distinguished University Health professor Dr Karen Liller with the active participation of student board members who include undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students. The authors of this article are present board members. One can connect with The Activist Lab via social media and by following our podcast Advocation-Change it Up which focuses on current public health issues and how to advocate for change.
Our newest outreach program is called “Let’s Chat” and focuses on the epidemic of loneliness and social isolation in the United States. We are creating opportunities for individuals to meet and chat to decrease loneliness, through building social connections.
The impetus for this project is from a program initiated in a supermarket chain in the Netherlands where slower lines were developed for those who wish to chat and from the book “Together” by Dr Vivek Murthy, the 19th Surgeon General of the United States.
The Activist Lab continues all of our activities this summer including our next podcast on drowning prevention for children. State and academic experts will discuss a social marketing campaign to address this issue with targeted safety messages for parents and consumers.
We continually strive to innovate and refine our output of media and approaches toward community education on public health issues and inequities. We will be adding a new cohort of board members in September to build new perspectives and implement additional avenues of advocacy. Through these efforts we hope to contribute to not only awareness of public health issues but the importance of health equity for all.
Health equity remains a critical concern for both India and the United States but owing to the background the context and future challenges are unique to these countries. As the constitution of India makes health a fundamental right for all, the constitution of the United States is missing any such provision for its citizens. India has been long focusing on promoting health in rural, remote, and underserved areas and has attained much success, on the other hand, the United States has achieved a lot when it comes to addressing structural determinants, and building and enhancing the healthcare infrastructure. Public health advocacy is one such factor that can aid in shaping healthcare policies, creating campaigns for awareness, and helping build a coalition between healthcare providers and community stakeholders while altering the course of healthcare by means of improving access, affordability, and quality of services.
*Dr Kanika Chandra, Former Consultant Department of Preventive Health and Wellness & Department of Palliative Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (New Delhi-India), Presently Pursuing Master’s in Public Health at the University of South Florida.
Amadeo Brandon is a graduate student in MPH (Behavioural health), he is collaborating on a community research project for translational research for reducing substance abuse among adolescents and is a Teaching Assistant at the College of Public Health at the University of South Florida
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