What Is Health Equity, and How Can It Be Taught?

Anyone who cares about morality in any way thinks that quality healthcare should be equally accessible to all. But systemic injustices occur, big time. Global healthcare is suffering due to inadequate regulatory restrictions, supply chain weaknesses, and a shortage of medical resources. 

We saw how COVID-19 shed light on the alarming gaps in global healthcare. For one, it showed us that proper education on health equity is extremely lacking, and many colleges are taking crucial steps to address this concern. 

So what is health equity, and how can it be taught? We look at these issues in-depth because each student should take a good, hard look at the importance of closing the health gap for all.

Educating Students: Why the Approach Matters 

The moment students set foot on campus, they become extremely vulnerable to professors’ influence, who have immense power to shape not only their education but also their character, standards, and worldview. Determined to succeed and impress their educators, students increasingly turn to graduate school essay writing service providers who can craft impeccable, first-rate essays on their behalf. While students should only resort to this professional service in emergency situations, it sheds light on the importance of college grades in their lives, which often have a lasting impact on their career prospects.

In light of this power, colleges should adopt responsibility to not only prepare students for the modern job market but also foster responsible global citizens. They must cultivate the capacity for critical thought, questioning, empathy, and engagement with the most important global concerns like the climate crisis and health equity.

Health Equity: Challenges and Prospects

Health equity implies that we as a society should guarantee that each person, irrespective of their social and economic standing, must have equal access to adequate healthcare.

It’s disheartening that so many people still struggle with the basic idea of health justice in a culture that so values innovation and growth. The vast differences in healthcare access and outcomes show that despite our technological advancements, the base of the most important pillar of social justice is fractured. In a time when knowledge is power, we should all pause to consider why and how health equity should be taught at colleges and beyond.

Many think that the growing global disparity between the wealthy and the poor is the primary cause of healthcare inequality. It’s not always so easy, though; even in a world where capitalism rules, everyone can still have equal access to basic human rights like food and medicine. We’re not discussing a trip to the Bahamas; these are basic freedoms we all can share.

Teaching health equity to students can ensure future leaders are aware of the significance of health justice and have the tools necessary to effect change. Let’s look at some of the best strategies for colleges to effectively teach health equity in 2023.

Teaching Health Equity in College

Healthcare facilities won’t be accessible to everyone who needs them until society as a whole engages actively. Colleges should take the initiative to support quality healthcare education since they are important guardians and shapers of young people’s minds. 

Here is a list of methods colleges can apply to teach students about health equity in an effective and interesting way:

• Create in-depth health equity courses that include subjects like socioeconomic determinants of health inequalities and policy concerns. 
• Use real-world case studies and examples to demonstrate the impact of health inequities on communities worldwide.
• Present a comprehensive viewpoint and encourage interdisciplinary approaches across diverse disciplines like health sciences, sociology, and public policy.
• Invite professionals and activists to speak as guests so they may share their personal perspectives and experiences.
• Use active learning techniques like debates and group discussions to motivate students and foster critical thinking.
• Plan field trips to medical institutions and underprivileged areas to let students see the problems with their own eyes. It can help encourage empathy and a stronger bond with individuals.

Apart from delivering top-notch health equity education on-site, professors should always try to leave the confines of the classroom, urging students to participate in advocacy campaigns and neighborhood initiatives. Real-world experience may be an effective instructor.

Students may, for instance, take part in a trip to Sub-Saharan Africa, which has one of the worst rates of maternal mortality in the world. There, owing to socioeconomic inequalities and poor access to healthcare, women face a shockingly high chance of dying after childbirth. Students can be encouraged to discuss all possible solutions to the issue as well as how these concerns might be brought to the attention of the wider public.

The Bottom Line

According to recent studies, people are growing poorer and sicker globally, with a widening health and wealth divide that is only intensifying due to various factors. Does this match the light-speed technological progress and vast knowledge we’re accumulating across different disciplines? Most likely not. Colleges should play a key role in facilitating these discussions since it’s now more important than ever to have effective conversations on crucial topics like unsustainable healthcare.

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Elaine Bailey is a copywriter specializing in delivering marketing content to healthcare providers worldwide. Elaine is a great partner to companies looking to communicate their thoughts with clarity, honesty, and impact. In her free time, Elaine writes educational blogs to raise awareness of current healthcare concerns.