A New Definition of Health Equity

Redefining Health Equity and its Implications for Public Policy

The research article Health Equity: A Concept Analysis (Lewis et al., 2023) sought to investigate health equity through an extensive review of its definitions and meaning, including what constitutes unfairness. The authors assert that health equity is not just about reducing disparities and the differences in health outcomes, it’s about creating a fair and just system where everyone has a chance to reach their full health potential, regardless of their background or circumstances, and that the ethical principles from the Belmont report of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice are upheld.

This research recommends addressing the root causes of disparities, and not just the symptoms of disparities. It suggests involving communities in the research and the decision-making process to ensure that the research benefits the communities. Finally, they recommend a unified definition of health equity to guide policy and research. They suggest that an appropriate definition of health equity is “the fair and just opportunity for all people to achieve their full health potential without variation from personal characteristics, historical oppression, and societal influences.”

To achieve health equity, the research asserts that societal and structural factors must be addressed…