Health Equity

Reflections
Jessica Collins
Executive Director
November 18, 2016
Western MA Health Equity Summit
Disparities, Inequality, and Inequity

• DISPARITY = INEQUALITY and implies differences between

individuals or population groups (UN-equal)

• INEQUITY refers to differences which are unnecessary and

avoidable but, in addition, are also considered unfair and
unjust
 Health equity
Health disparity
A population-specific difference in
Assurance of the condition for optimal
the presence of disease, health health for all people.
outcomes, or access to health care Dr. Camara Jones
– could be people over 70 die more often than
people under 10 years old.

Health INEQUITY - differences Working together to advance health

equity will eliminate health inequities
which are UNFAIR, UNJUST and that are unfair, unjust and avoidable!
AVOIDABLE

An example from our region:

Hispanic teenage girls are six times So, what extra resources and supports
more likely to have a baby as white do our Hispanic teenage girls need to
teenage girls. avoid having a baby?
 Premature Mortality Rate (PMR) by Town
Premature Mortality (ages < 75) Age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population
Potential Years of Life Lost per 100,000 population (YPLL)
Working with Our MIND
Working with Our MIND
Working with Our HEART
CULTIVATING CULTIVATING
SYMPATHY ADMIRATION

CONNECTING TO ONE ANOTHER – EXPANDING OUR INNER CIRCLES

CROSSING TOWN AND COUNTY LINES – PUTTING OURSELVES IN PLACES THAT
WE DON’T NORMALLY GO – BEING OPEN TO FRIENDSHIP – RECOGNIZING
SAMENESS
Youth Empowerment Adolescent Health (YEAH!)
Network
WHEN THE HEART and MIND
WORK TOGETHER
BECAUSE NOT ON OUR WATCH