Strategies for Eliminating Health Inequities: A Framework for Change

The most important challenge for health professionals is promoting health" equity. The WHO (2008) asserts better living conditions, equitable distribution of wealth, and mechanisms to prevent and monitor inequities will result in health equity. The problem at the center of this capstone is how difficult it is to promote health equity and implement strategies for change. Barriers to promoting health equity include political, economical, epistemological and ideological differencesR identifying barriers supports efforts to institute strategies that promote health for all. By focusing efforts on educating civil society about health equity, public health professionals can broaden the reach of their work. First steps are being undertaken at Fraser Health in B.C. with efforts to produce messaging for staff and leaders to shift the cultural climate. What is required is a shift in the way society appreciates the social determinants of health and action from the public to demand healthy public policy.