Health Equity
To have health equity means every person has the opportunity attain their highest level of health, with no disadvantages due to socially determined circumstances. The inequalities in health are reflected through differences in quality of life, rates of disease, access to treatment, and more. Every year, millions of Americans face barriers when trying to access essential health services.
Over the weekend, the country recognized Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day). Advocates gather on UHC Day to help promote health equality for all, regardless of any hardship. The fight doesn’t end there, however. As long as there are health disparities, we will continue to spread awareness and show support in favor of health for all.
By The Numbers
The health inequalities we face as a society are reflected by various studies. The following list includes facts about equity in health.
- Research showed that those with a higher household income live longer when comparing the life expectancy of males in the U.S. by the bottom 5% and top 5% of household income. It was found that in 2014, the average male life expectancy for those in the bottom 5% was about 77 years old, and for those in the top 5% it was about 89 years old. (Journal of American Medical Association)
- People living with more inequalities were found to have a lower life expectancy than others. This was found by comparing the Gini coefficients (a measure of the distribution of income across a population) by life expectancy in individual states. (Journal of American Medical Association and CDC)
- Cancer deaths are much more common in poorer countries. This inequality didn’t used to be as present, but the gap has grown since the 1970s. (American Cancer Society)
- It was found that women in the U.S. have lower rates of obesity as their income rises. Factors such as available food and recreational facilities have been determined as the main factors leading to this inequality. (CDC)
- Smoking rates vary widely by income, about 12.1% of those who live in households with an annual income of over $100,000 smoke, whereas 32.2% of those who live in households with an annual income of under $20,000 smoke. (CDC)
- Many older lower-wage workers have more physically demanding jobs. The bottom 20% of income was found to have about 54.8% working physically demanding jobs, while the top 20% only has 16.2% working physically demanding jobs. (Center for Economic and Policy Research)
Learn More and JOin the Fight
We encourage you to join us in working towards health equity. Everyone deserves access to quality health services, and together we can make it happen.
To learn more, the following resources are suggested.
UHC Day: https://universalhealthcoverageday.org/
CDC Health Disparities & Inequalities Report: https://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealth/CHDIReport.html
CDC Health Equity:
https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/healthequity/index.htm
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