Health Equity
True or False: Equity provides everyone with the same resources, while equality gives each person the specific resources they need to be successful.
False
In the 1930s-1970s Black families were systematically denied access to home loans, segregating communities and reducing generational wealth. What is the term for this?
redlining
True or False: Investing downstream (prevention, infrastructure, workforce) can reduce upstream costs (emergency care, crisis response)
False
True or False: Disease Prevention is defined as "Specific, population-based and individual-based interventions for secondary and tertiary prevention, aiming to minimize the burden of diseases and associated risk factors"
False: primary and secondary
True or False: Health inequities are not the result of poor choices—they’re the result of constrained choices
True
Name one determinant of health
-health behaviors
-social & economic factors
-physical environment
-clinical care
School funding tied to property taxes → underfunded schools in communities of color
Racial stereotypes and lower expectations affect academic achievement and mental health
Historical exclusion of women from higher education limited access to high-paying professions
For transgender and nonbinary youth, school-based bullying and lack of inclusion harm mental health and educational attainment
How crowded a ......... department is directly reflects system stress and underlying inequities
emergency
Name one level of the Health Impact Pyramid.
•Counseling & Education
•Clinical Interventions
•Long-lasting Preventative Interventions
•Changing the Context
•Socioeconomic Factors
Health Impact Pyramid: The higher on the pyramid, is more OR less individual effort needed?
more
How can an individual's neighborhood & environment impact health outcomes?
Redlining (1930s–1970s) systematically denied Black families access to home loans, segregating communities and reducing generational wealth
Historically, redlined areas today show higher pollution, less green space, and more chronic disease (asthma, cardiovascular disease)
Proximity to highways and industrial zones disproportionately affects Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous neighborhoods
Women and children are more likely to live in poverty-concentrated neighborhoods with fewer resources (e.g., pregnant individuals in polluted areas face higher risks of low birthweight and preterm birth)
How can food insecurity contribute to poor health outcomes?
Food security means consistent access to enough nutritious, affordable, and culturally appropriate food for an active, healthy life
Food insecurity arises when access is limited by lack of money, transportation, or proximity to grocery stores — or by discrimination in housing, employment, or zoning policies
Women, especially single mothers, face higher rates of food insecurity — often sacrificing meals to feed their children
Name one way the U.S. was not prepared for covid outbreak.
fragmented public health system, critical supply shortages, and political interference / public messaging
Vaccines would fall under which level of the Health Impact Pyramid?
Long-Lasting Preventative Interventions
What is the difference between individual and collective responsibility when in comes to public health & disease prevention?
Individual responsibility focuses on personal health choices (hygiene, vaccination), while collective responsibility emphasizes societal good, like community-wide measures (mask mandates, lockdowns)
How does economic stability impact health outcomes?
Employment discrimination and wage gaps reduce income and wealth accumulation for many Black and Latino families
Women earn less than men in nearly every occupational category; women of color experience the largest pay gaps (e.g., Black women earn ~64¢ and Latinas ~57¢ per dollar earned by white men)
Lower wages mean higher rates of uninsured individuals, food insecurity, and housing instability
Women are more likely to work in low-wage caregiving or service jobs that lack benefits like paid leave or health insurance
Single mothers (especially women of color) experience higher rates of poverty, food insecurity, and unstable housing
Transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals face employment discrimination, compounding economic vulnerability
Name a policy-level strategy to advance equity.
•Expand coverage (Medicaid, subsidies)
•Support policies that reduce poverty and improve economic stability
•Invest in primary care
•Mandate equity metrics and protections
•Invest in public health infrastructure
Name one component required to achieve a strong Public Health System?
•Investment in Public Health Infrastructure
•Data Collection
•Technology
•Workforce Capacity
•Access to healthcare
•Recognition and targeting of health disparities
•Individual vs Collective Responsibility
•Public Trust
•Crisis & Emergency Response Preparedness
Clinical Interventions reduce the burden of disease. Name an example that falls in this level.
•Early recognition and treatment of cardiovascular disease
•Treatment of tuberculosis, resulting in decreased spread of infection
•HIV treatment to decrease viral load and reduce transmission
Name an individual-level strategy to advance equity.
•Reflect on bias and privilege
•Practice trauma-informed, culturally humble care
•Advocate for systemic change
•Use inclusive, empowering communication
How does racism impact health outcomes?
Race is a social construct, not biological
No genetic basis for racial categories
Racial categories created to justify inequality
Health differences are socially produced, not genetic
Racism—not race—is the driver of inequities
Race shapes access to education, housing, and care
Social, not biological, solutions are needed
How can sexism impact health outcomes?
Structural sexism leads to systemic disadvantages like reduced access to quality healthcare, economic deprivation, and less adequate living or working conditions
Public‐health outcomes depend not just on infrastructure but on how public messaging frames responsibility, solidarity and.....
trust
Name one way of changing the environment in which a person lives to make their healthy choice easier
•Water fluoridation
•Seatbelt laws
•Taxes on cigarettes or sodas
•Building walkable environments
•Increased condom availability
•Laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol to minors
•Occupational safety requirements
•Smoke-free workplaces
Name one of the CDC's Ten Great Public Health Achievements
1.Prevention & Control of Infectious Diseases
2.Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
3.Tobacco Control
4.Maternal & Infant Health
5.Motor Vehicle Safety
6.Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
7.Occupational Safety
8.Cancer Prevention
9.Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention
10.Public Health Preparedness