Letz, K. (2017). The NP guide: Essential knowledge for nurse practitioner practice. (3rd ed.). American College of Nurse Practitioner Faculty. Las Vegas, NV.
Teitelbaum, J. B., & Wilensky, S. E. (2017). Essentials of health policy and law (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Health disparities are any difference in health outcomes between populations of people. Consider the impact of poverty, race, gender, disability etc. on various health outcomes. The goal of Healthy People 2020 was to eliminate health disparities and achieve health equity, thus improving health outcomes among all populations (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2020).
Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) defines health disparity as:
“a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage. Health disparities adversely affect groups of people who have systematically experienced greater obstacles to health based on their racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health; cognitive, sensory, or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographic location; or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2020).
The HP 2020 definition of health equity is as follows:
“attainment of the highest level of health for all people. Achieving health equity requires valuing everyone equally with focused and ongoing societal efforts to address avoidable inequalities, historical and contemporary injustices, and the elimination of health and health care disparities” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2020).
As you consider this week’s discussion questions, be sure to review the information here, as you prepare your responses and interact with the discussion.
Here is an excellent podcast regarding the importance of the nurse in health equity efforts.
Finally, please review this article r/t the APRN’s work in reducing health disparities.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2020). Disparities. Retrieved from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about/foundation-health-measures/Disparities
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