Health Equity

Health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is “the state of full physical, emotional and social well being and not just the absence of illness and infirmity.” A wide variety of definitions have also been used over the years. One way to classify a person’s health is to ask him or her to undergo various tests in order to determine what his or her current health status is. Many other factors are taken into account when determining a person’s health. Some people may be classified as being extremely healthy while another person may qualify as morbidly obese.

The goals of public health care include increasing levels of health awareness and understanding, reducing health disparities in communities, improving health management, preventing and reducing the burden of disease, maintaining and strengthening the physical infrastructure of the nation as well as preventing, treating and eliminating adverse health consequences. The program of public health care intends to enhance quality of life, enhance the performance of the health care system, provide resources to communities to address health problems, foster development of prevention programs and improve the economic well-being of the nation. Public health aims at preventing diseases that can result in death and achieving well-being by ensuring quality, reliable and accessible health care and promoting the use of effective treatments and interventions for improving health.

These health promotions may take the form of policies and programs such as education, research and promotion, public health campaigns, community organization and participation, and health equity. Policy makers create policies and programs that address health equity. Public health programs and policies aim at preventing health inequities through interventions and providing resources to communities to address health problems. Prevention is the most important strategy for health equity. Community-based programs and policies are implemented to reduce health disparities. Programs and policies may be implemented to address health disparity by addressing health inequities by defining the following health inequities.