TY - JOUR
T1 - Health disparities and health equity
T2 - The issue is justice
AU - Braveman, Paula A.
AU - Kumanyika, Shiriki
AU - Fielding, Jonathan
AU - LaVeist, Thomas
AU - Borrell, Luisa N.
AU - Manderscheid, Ron
AU - Troutman, Adewale
PY - 2011/12/1
Y1 - 2011/12/1
N2 - Eliminating health disparities is a Healthy People goal. Given the diverse and sometimes broad definitions of health disparities commonly used, a subcommittee convened by the Secretary's Advisory Committee for Healthy People 2020 proposed an operational definition for use in developing objectives and targets, determining resource allocation priorities, and assessing progress. Based on that subcommittee's work, we propose that health disparities are systematic, plausibly avoidable health differences adversely affecting socially disadvantaged groups; they may reflect social disadvantage, but causality need not be established. This definition, grounded in ethical and human rights principles, focuses on the subset of health differences reflecting social injustice, distinguishing health disparities from other health differences also warranting concerted attention, and from health differences in general. We explain the definition, its underlying concepts, the challenges it addresses, and the rationale for applying it to United States public health policy.
AB - Eliminating health disparities is a Healthy People goal. Given the diverse and sometimes broad definitions of health disparities commonly used, a subcommittee convened by the Secretary's Advisory Committee for Healthy People 2020 proposed an operational definition for use in developing objectives and targets, determining resource allocation priorities, and assessing progress. Based on that subcommittee's work, we propose that health disparities are systematic, plausibly avoidable health differences adversely affecting socially disadvantaged groups; they may reflect social disadvantage, but causality need not be established. This definition, grounded in ethical and human rights principles, focuses on the subset of health differences reflecting social injustice, distinguishing health disparities from other health differences also warranting concerted attention, and from health differences in general. We explain the definition, its underlying concepts, the challenges it addresses, and the rationale for applying it to United States public health policy.
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U2 - 10.2105/AJPH.2010.300062
DO - 10.2105/AJPH.2010.300062
M3 - Article
C2 - 21551385
AN - SCOPUS:81355143918
SN - 0090-0036
VL - 101
SP - S149-S155
JO - American journal of public health
JF - American journal of public health
IS - SUPPL. 1
ER -