Hastings Prince Edward Public Health is committed to ensuring all members of our communities can access and benefit from our programs and services. This means strive to achieve health equity by working to remove the systematic, unfair, and modifiable barriers experienced by residents. We seek to create equitable opportunities for everyone in our communities to live a fulfilling and healthy life.
Health Equity
Health equity means that all people (individuals, groups and communities) have fair access to, and can act on, opportunities to reach their full health potential and are not disadvantaged by social, economic and environmental conditions, including socially constructed factors. Socially constructed factors include:
- Race
- Gender
- Sexuality
- Religion
- Social status
Achieving health equity requires acknowledging that some people have unequal starting places, and different strategies and resources are needed to correct the imbalance and make health possible.
Health equity is achieved when disparities in health status between groups due to social and structural factors are reduced or eliminated.
This does not refer to everyone having equal resources to be healthy. It means that existing resources are more readily available for the most vulnerable populations.
Health equality refers to everyone having equal access to the resources needed to be healthy. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same opportunities for health, which is why health equity is important.
Health inequity refers to differences in health associated with structural and social disadvantage that are systemic, modifiable, avoidable, and unfair. Health inequities are rooted in social, economic, and environmental conditions and power imbalances, putting groups who already experience disadvantage at further risk of poor health outcomes.
Health Equality ≠ Health Equity
Our Commitment to Health Equity
At HPEPH, we help support our community to be more equitable for all by:
- Working with community partners to develop policies that address the social determinants of health, like the Quinte Local Immigration Partnerships anti-racism subcommittee, the Quinte West Housing Action Table as part of the Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan.
- Strengthening meaningful partnerships with Indigenous community members and various organizations to support reconciliation.
- Monitoring and reporting on the relationship between social factors and health outcomes in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties.
- Using assessments that measure the impact of our programs on health equity, determine how we can modify and improve our services to reach those who need them the most.
- Working to enhance the public’s knowledge of how health is influenced by where we live, work and play.
Resources
Social Determinants of Health and Health Inequalities
The Government of Canada has launched a web page demonstrating what the federal government is doing to reduce health inequalities. They outline three strategic priorities:
- Strengthening the evidence base to inform decision making
- Engaging beyond the health sector
- Sharing knowledge of action across Canada
Health Equity Video Series
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed a video series on health equity and the social determinants of health.
Mind the Disruption
The National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health has a plethora of resources related to health equity and the social determinants of health in Canada. They have recently launched a podcast; Mind the Disruption is a podcast about people who refuse to accept things as they are. It is about people pushing for better health for all who have a deep desire to build a healthier world.
