Agenda Setting- Health Equity and Inequity - Nov

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Franklin University *

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Feb 20, 2024

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1 Agenda Setting: Health Equity and Inequity Lisa Mollohan Franklin University HCM 752 Dr. Monica Taylor November 26, 2023

2 Agenda Setting: Health Equity and Inequity Problem Health equity is when every person has the same opportunity to achieve their highest level of health without regard to race, age, ethnicity, economic status, gender, identity, sexual orientation, or geographic background. It includes valuing everyone equally. It is the absence of unfair and avoidable differences in the health and well-being of all people (Ndugga & Artiga, 2023). Health inequality has been a hot topic for public health policy at all levels – federal, state, and local. Higher incidences of disease, death, and disability are experienced by populations lacking access to preventative care or treatment for acute and chronic illnesses. Inequalities in health cause costly medical care, loss of productivity, and premature deaths. Health inequalities occur across the lifespan, and addressing inequalities is imperative to improving our nation’s health and economy. While health inequality is not a new subject, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted current and ongoing health inequalities and their causes. This has brought the topic to the forefront as some of the implemented policies brought about by COVID-19 are ending. The ending of policies such as the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or Medicaid continuous enrollment may widen the gap and reverse any progress that has been made (Ndugga & Artiga, 2023). Impacting rural areas are hospital closures, limiting access to things such as mental health services and EMS transportation. Persistent racial and ethnic disparities have led to existing comorbidities being exacerbated. Racial/ethnic or poor neighborhoods and communities have limited resources to stay healthy with little access to care. The article cited from the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science explained it well by stating, “the very populations with the

3 greatest risk of exposure (not by choice), with the greatest risk for illness (not by choice), also have the least access to protection (not by choice).” People of lower income or people of color are more likely to be uninsured than their white counterparts. Many of those uninsured are eligible for ACA Marketplaces but face barriers to enrollment (Ndugga & Artiga, 2023). There is confusion regarding eligibility and the process, language and literacy barriers. Unfair healthcare treatment due to race or ethnicity was reported by 1 in 5 black and 1 in 5 Hispanic adults. Access to gender-affirming care has been limited or banned by policy in some states. This goes against the Administration's stance on equal health equity for LGBT. Transadults and LGBT were more likely to report negative healthcare experiences and the inability to find affordable healthcare than were non-LGBT. Possible Solutions Health equity progress can be hindered or accelerated by changes in health policy. All levels of government -federal, state, and local - share the goal of accomplishing health equity. Local and state governments can partner with community organizations in providing cultural and ethnic health education. Rural areas need to be provided with good broadband access to allow for telehealth visits. In addition to increased healthcare access, broadband can provide better education and employment opportunities (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials [astho], 2022). Mobile health screenings would be another option for those located rurall or even in urban areas where healthcare access is lacking. Engage the leaders accountable to communities that have experienced minoritization (Robeznieks, 2023). For successful equity- informed policymaking, the community needs to be involved throughout the process. Pamphlets and other health information must be printed in different languages. Data collection is necessary to track and prioritize where the need is the greatest. More robust data, with the data separated

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