Inequalities in Health Flashcards
What are inequalities in health?
Unjust and avoidable disparities in health outcomes between different population groups, driven by social, economic, environmental, and systemic factors.
What is required to address health inequalities?
A comprehensive and multi-dimensional approach that tackles the underlying determinants of health.
What is equity in health?
The principle of fairness and justice, recognising that different individuals/groups require different resources to achieve equal levels of health and well-being.
How does equity differ from equality in health?
Equality: State of being equal, treating everyone the same.
Equity: Accounts for individual or group-specific needs, ensuring fairness and just outcomes.
Equality treats everyone the same, but _______ ensures fairness by addressing individual needs, and _______ aims to eliminate unjust health differences altogether.
equity; justice
What is justice in health?
A principle encompassing fairness and equity, creating systems where resources and opportunities are distributed fairly to eliminate unjust and avoidable health disparities.
How do societal structures and economic systems impact health inequalities?
They create advantages and disadvantages for certain groups, leading to differential access to quality healthcare, education, employment, and other determinants of health.
What role does the process of distribution play in health inequalities?
Discriminatory practices, biases, and barriers prevent certain groups from accessing the same level of care and services, resulting in disparities in health outcomes.
If low-income communities have limited access to healthcare facilities, what type of health inequality is this?
Inequality due to differential access to resources caused by socioeconomic factors.
What are some factors contributing to health inequalities?
Social determinants (e.g., income, education).
Environmental conditions (e.g., living in polluted areas).
Systemic biases and discriminatory practices.
What is the goal of addressing health inequalities through equity?
To ensure that resources are distributed based on need so that all individuals have the opportunity to achieve good health.
How can justice be applied to eliminate health disparities?
By creating systems that prioritise fairness and ethical distribution of healthcare and opportunities, tackling systemic barriers and discriminatory practices.
Health inequalities are _______ and _______ differences in health outcomes between groups, often caused by systemic and environmental factors.
unjust; avoidable
Equity focuses on _______ resources based on need, while equality focuses on _______ resources regardless of circumstances.
distributing; providing
A healthcare policy ensures every patient gets the same treatment but ignores individual needs. Is this equity, equality, or justice?
Equality, because it treats everyone the same but does not address specific needs for fairness.
Why is equity considered more effective than equality in addressing health disparities?
Because equity focuses on providing resources tailored to individual or group-specific needs, leading to fairer and more just outcomes.
Inequalities in health:
Refers to unjust & avoidable disparities in health outcomes between different population groups.
Driven by social, economic, environmental & systemic factors.
Requires a comprehensive & multi-dimensional approach.
