Author: DrewM

The evolution of Healthy People reflects growing awareness of health inequities over the life course. Each decade, the initiative has gained understanding of how the nation can achieve health and well-being. To inform Healthy People 2030’s visionary goal of achieving health equity in the coming decade, the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2030 (Secretary’s Advisory Committee) provided the US Department of Health and Human Services with guidance on key terms, frameworks, and measurement for health equity.

What Is Health Equity and Why Is It Important? Health equity can be defined as the attainment of the highest level of health for all people. This means that all people have the opportunity to attain their full health potential and are not disadvantaged due to their social position or other socioeconomic circumstance. Health inequities, on the other hand, are unfair and avoidable differences in health status that result from unjust policies, discriminatory social norms that exclude certain groups of people, and inequitable distribution of money, power, and resources that lead to poorer socioeconomic...