Equity and Health

Health equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to achieve their highest level of health, regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexuality, socio-economic status, geography, preferred language or other factors.

A fundamental goal of global public health

Health and health care inequities place people who may already be socially disadvantaged or disenfranchised at further disadvantage with respect to their health, well-being, and livelihoods.

The Unit of Equity and Health within the Department of Public Health aims to contribute to better understanding of the root causes of health inequities and development of strategies to improve access, acceptability, quality, and accountability of health systems and services to communities, particularly for individuals in marginalised and precarious positions in both the global South and North.

Research portal

Explore the publications and projects of our researchers in the research portal of ITM.

Visit the portal

Amplifying voices of health inequities 💬

"Moi j’ai vu un seul qui refusait qu’on lui fasse la PID (pulvérisation intra-domiciliaire contre le paludisme) et fermait sa maison, le motif était la pauvreté il ne voulait pas qu’on puisse voir les nattes déchirées et sales sur lesquelles lui et ses enfants dorment ; je dirai que c’était de la honte qu’on puisse sortir ses biens et entrer voir l’intérieur de sa maison."

Focus group with Youth club members in Kinyinya

(Project on perceptions of malaria prevention strategies in two health districts in Burundi)

"I had no idea that there was an option for me to signed off by the doctor, so the three weeks that I went away, it was all my annual leave. …I was a bit worried …What if I extend my stay here, and how will it impact my work? …I didn’t know how it would impact, and how people would receive it."

Interview with a woman, mid 30s, a skilled migrant worker

(Project on tuberculosis care in the United Kingdom)

"I was in temporary accommodation, there was no point signing up with a GP down there if I’m gonna be moving soon, or something, so I was thinking I’ll just wait till I move…. Cos I didn’t know what to do”

Interview with a man in his 50s, struggling with housing precarity

(Project on tuberculosis care in the United Kingdom)

Explore the realm of equity and health

Articles

Keeping It Political and Powerful: Defining the Structural Determinants of Health (The Milbank Quarterly, Heller et al., 2024)
What should equity in global health research look like? (The Lancet, Kumar et al., 2022)
Research for Health Justice: an ethical framework linking global health research to health equity (BMJ Global Health, Pratt, 2021)
A health equity research agenda for India: results of a consultative exercise (Health Research Policy and Systems, Ravindran & Seshadri, 2018)

Guidance

Operational framework for monitoring social determinants of health equity (WHO, 2024)
Guiding Principles to Promote an Equity-Centered Approach to Public Health Communication (CDC, 2023)
Let's Talk: Language of health equity (National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health, 2023)
Advancing Health Equity: A Guide to Language, Narrative and Concepts (American Medical Association, 2021)

Interesting links

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Workshop series on migration and health

We are organising a series of bi-monthly skill-building workshops on the health of migrant and mobile populations in the Global South and North, led by the units of Equity and Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health. Our purpose is to unite researchers to explore the complexities of health issues among migrant and mobile populations globally. These workshops intend to foster dialogue, skill-sharing, and collaboration opportunities among experts in the field.

More info