Question

You have been tasked by your upper management team to give a presentation to your peers on heath disparities and inequalities.

In this assignment, you will create a PowerPoint presentation to evaluate the impact of commonly accepted business principles used to create an equitable healthcare system.

Your presentation should include discussion on the following topics: definitions and examples, ethical differences between an inequality and an inequity, populations involved, ways to reduce or eliminate health inequalities, and business principles and ethical theories involved.

Your presentation must be at least five slides in length.

Answer 1

Health iidisparities” iiand ii“health iiequity” iihave iibecome iiincreasingly iifamiliar iiterms iiin iipublic iihealth, iibut iirarely iiare iithey iidefined iiexplicitly. iiAmbiguity iiin iithe iidefinitions iiof iithese iiterms iicould iilead iito iimisdirection iiof iiresources. iiThis iiarticle iidiscusses iithe iineed iifor iigreater iiclarity iiabout iithe iiconcepts iiof iihealth iidisparities iiand iihealth iiequity, iiproposes iidefinitions, iiand iiexplains iithe iirationale iibased iion iiprinciples iifrom iithe iifields iiof iiethics iiand iihuman iirights.

Despite iiprevention iiefforts, iisome iigroups iiof iipeople iiare iiaffected iiby iiHIV/AIDS, iiviral iihepatitis, iiSTDs, iiand iiTB iimore iithan iiother iigroups iiof iipeople. iiThe iioccurrence iiof iithese iidiseases iiat iigreater iilevels iiamong iicertain iipopulation iigroups iimore iithan iiamong iiothers iiis iioften iireferred iito iias iia iihealth iidisparity. iiDifferences iimay iioccur iiby iigender, iirace iior iiethnicity, iieducation, iiincome, iidisability, iigeographic iilocation iiand iisexual iiorientation iiamong iiothers. iiSocial iideterminants iiof iihealth iilike iipoverty, iiunequal iiaccess iito iihealth iicare, iilack iiof iieducation, iistigma, iiand iiracism iiare iilinked iito iihealth iidisparities.

Health iiin iithe iiUnited iiStates iiis iia iicomplex iiand iioften iicontradictory iiissue. iiOne iithe iione iihand, iias iione iiof iithe iiwealthiest iinations, iithe iiUnited iiStates iifares iiwell iiin iihealth iicomparisons iiwith iithe iirest iiof iithe iiworld. iiHowever, iithe iiUnited iiStates iialso iilags iibehind iialmost iievery iiindustrialized iicountry iiin iiterms iiof iiproviding iicare iito iiall iiits iicitizens.

The iilanguage iiof iihealth iidisparities iiis iivaried, iiand iidifferent iiterms iiare iiused iiin iidifferent iiparts iiof iithe iiworld. iiIn iithe iiUnited iiStates iiwe iiusually iitalk iiabout ii“disparities.” iiIn iiEngland iithey iisometimes iiuse iithe iiword ii“variations” iiThroughout iiEurope iithey iitalk iiabout ii“inequalities” iiin iihealth. iiYou iiwill iialso iisee iithe iiterm ii“inequities” iibeing iiused; iispecifically, iiyou iiwill iihear iiit iiin iithe iiphrase: ii“inequities iiin iihealth.” iiWe iican iithink iiabout iidisparities, iivariations iiand iiinequalities iias iibeing iivery iisimilar iiterms; iiwhereas, iithe iiterm ii“inequity” iiimplies iisomething iidifferent. iiWe’ll iiexplore iithat iidistinction iiin iia iimoment. iiBut iifor iinow, iiyou iican iithink iiabout iiinequalities, iivariations, iior iidisparities iior iiinequities iiin iihealth iiaccording iito iigender, iirace/ethnicity, iisocioeconomic iiposition, iiand iigeography.

Ethical iidifferences iibetween iian iiinequality iiand iian iiinequity

Inequality

At iithe iicore, iiinequalities iisimply iirefer iito iiunbalanced iiconditions, iialthough iithey iiare iioften iiused iito iidescribe iiunfair iicircumstances. iiFor iiexample, iidescribing ii“gender iiinequality” iiin iitechnical iiterms iimoves iito iiillustrate iithat iinot iiall iigenders iiare iitreated iiequally iiin iisociety.

Inequity ii

On iithe iiother iihand, iiinequity iirefers iito iithe iistate iiof iibeing iiunfair iior iiunjust. iiThis iiwould iimean iithat iigender iiinequality iiis iithe iiresult iiof iia iisocial iiinequity, iior iisocietal iicondition iiwhich iicreates iiunfairness iiin iigender iinorms.

The iiDifference iibetween iithe iiTwo ii

This iireveals iithe iicrucial iidifference iibetween iian iiinequality iiand iian iiinequity: iiinequities iiare iipreventable. iiThe iiWorld iiHealth iiOrganization iiincludes iithis iias iipart iiof iiits ii“Key iiConcepts” iipage, iinoting iithat iiinequities iiare iiavoidable. iiThe iisame iisource iiexplains iithat iino iimatter iithe iilocation, iipeople iiof iithe iilowest iisocioeconomic iistatus iiexperience iithe iiworse iihealth, iilending iito iia iiuniversal iiinequity.

Relevancy

But iiwhat iidoes iithis iilook iilike iiin iithe iireal iiworld? iiA iiprevalent iiexample iiof iia iihealth iiinequity iistands iiwith iichild iimortality iirates: iithe iirate iiof iichildren iidying iiunder iithe iiage iiof iifive iiis ii11 iitimes iigreater iiin iilow iiincome iicountries iithan iihigh iiincome iicountries. iiInequities iiare iialso iiresponsible iifor iithe iifact iithat ii99 iipercent iiof iiglobal iimaternal iideaths iitake iiplace iiin iideveloping iicountries.

Inequities iiare iiworldwide, iibut iithey iialso iiexist iiwithin iismaller-scale iilevels iiof iisociety. iiFor iiexample, iithe iiUnited iiStates iiis iiconsidered iia iideveloped iicountry, iiyet iithere iiare iisignificant iilevels iiof iihealth iiinequities iithat iidisproportionately iiimpact iimarginalized iigroups. iiAlthough iithere iiis iino iigenetic iimarker iifor iiit, iiAfrican iiAmericans iiexperience iinearly iihalf iiof iinational iiHIV iiinfections. iiHowever, iithey iionly iirepresent ii13 iipercent iiof iithe iiAmerican iipopulation, iisuggesting iithey iiare iidisproportionately iiaffected iiby iia iipreventable iiinequity.

Life iiexpectancy iihelps iipaint iianother iitelltale iiinequity. iiIndigenous iigroups iiin iiAustralia iihave iia iilife iiexpectancy iiof ii59.4 iiyears iifor iimen iiand ii64.8 iifor iiwomen; iithese iinumbers iijump iito ii76.6 iiand ii82 iifor iinon-indigenous iiAustralians. iiAround iithe iiworld, iithere iiis iia ii34 iiyear iigap iiin iilife iiexpectancy iiamong iidifferent iicountries.

Health iiinequities iiare iinot iionly iicostly iito iiindividuals’ iiwell-beings, iibut iialso iito iieconomies. iiAccording iito iithe iiWorld iiBank, iihealth iiinequities iigenerate iian iiaverage iiof ii1.4 iipercent iiloss iiin iiGDP iievery iiyear iiwithin iithe iiEuropean iiUnion. iiThis iiis iilargely iicaused iiby iipreventable iilosses iiin iitaxes, iiwelfare, iihealthcare iiand iiproductivity.

Better iiunderstanding iithat iithese iiand iiother iisocial iiconditions iicause iiunfair iilevels iiof iiwellbeing iiin iisociety iimarks iia iistop iiin iithe iipath iito iisustainable iidevelopment. iiUltimately, iithe iisilver iilining iilies iiin iiknowing iithat iiunderstanding iithe iidifference iibetween iian iiinequality iiand iian iiinequity iican iiadvocate iifor iichange.

The iiWorld iiHealth iiOrganization iiexplains iithat ii“health iiinequities iiare iiunfair iiand iicould iibe iireduced iiby iithe iiright iimix iiof iigovernmental iipolicies,” iialongside iibetter iiacknowledgment iiof iithe iifactors iithat iiperpetuate iiinequities.

Health iiinequalities iiare iithe iiunfair iiand iiavoidable iidifferences iiin iipeople’s iihealth iiacross iisocial iigroups iiand iibetween iidifferent iipopulation iigroups.

They iirepresent iithousands iiof iiunnecessary iipremature iideaths iievery iiyear iiin iiScotland. iiFor iiexample, iifor iimen iiin iithe iimost iideprived iiareas, iithey iimean iinearly ii24 iifewer iiyears iispent iiin ii‘good iihealth’ iithan iimen iiin iithe iileast iideprived iiareas.

Health iiinequalities iiare iicaused iiin iipart iiby iiinequalities iiin iiincome, iipower iiand iiwealth iiacross iithe iipopulation.

iiPreventative iimeasures iithat iidirectly iireduce iithese iiinequalities iiare iitherefore iiimportant iiin iireducing iihealth iiinequalities.

The iifirst iibriefing iiin iithis iiseries iiprovides iimore iiinformation iion iihealth iiinequalities iiand iithe iibroad iirange iiof iiactions iithat iican iibe iitaken iito iireduce iithem.

Best iiways iito iireduce iihealth iiinequalities

Policies iiand iiinterventions iiwhich iidirectly iiaddress iithe iisocial iiand iieconomic iiinequalities iithat iidrive iihealth iiinequalities iiare iilikely iito iibe iimost iieffective. iiExamples iiinclude iithe iiintroduction iiof iia iiliving iiwage, iithe iiintroduction iiof iihigher iistandards iifor iiprivately iirented iiaccommodation iiand iimeasures iito iiimprove iithe iiphysical iienvironment.

Evidence iifrom iithe iiKing’s iiFund13 iiand iiPublic iiHealth iiEngland, iiin iicollaboration iiwith iithe iiInstitute iifor iiHealth iiEquity, iihighlights iithe iieconomic iicase iifor iiinvesting iiin iiprogrammers iitackling iithe iisocial iideterminants iiof iihealth, iisuch iias iiprogrammers iihelping iipeople iifind iigood iijobs iiand iistay iiin iiwork. iiMany iiof iithe iiexamples iiare iiprogrammers iithat iiwould iibe iidelivered iiby iilocal iiauthorities iior iiother iicommunity iiplanning iipartners, iirather iithan iithe iihealth iiservice. iiNonetheless, iithe iiNHS iiis iia iimajor iiemployer iiand iiit iisources iigoods iiand iiservices iifrom iiothers.

Other iipolicies iithat iievidence iisuggests iiwill iihelp iito iireduce iihealth iiinequalities:

• iiActions iiand iipolicies iithat iimake iiit iieasier iifor iieveryone iito iiadopt iihealthy iibehaviours iiby iiincreasing iithe iiprice iiand/or iireducing iithe iiavailability iiof iiproducts iidamaging iito iihealth iisuch iias iiminimum iiunit iipricing iifor iialcohol; iitobacco iitaxes; iior iilicensing iilegislation iithat iiaffects iithe iinumber iiof iioutlets iiselling iisuch iicommodities.

• iiProviding iiuniversal iiservices iibut iiinvesting iimore iiwhere iithey iiare iimost iineeded. iiThis iiinvolves iipolicies iisuch iias iiproviding iigreater iiresources iito iinurseries iiand iischools iiin iithe iimost iideprived iiareas.

The iiWHO iiconcludes iithat iiinvesting iiin iipopulation-based iiprevention iitackling iithe iiunderlying iicauses iiof iihealth iiinequalities iiis iimore iieffective iiat iireducing iihealth iiinequalities iithan iiactions iifocused iion iibehaviors iisuch iias iismoking iicessation iiprogrammers. iiThe iiavailable iievidence iisuggests iithat iialthough iimany iiindividual-level iiinterventions iithat iiaim iito iichange iibehaviors iiare iicost-effective, iisuch iias iismoking iicessation iiprogrammers, iithey iiare iiless iilikely iito iibe iieffective iiin iitackling iihealth iiinequalities. iiThis iiis iibecause iithey iiwill iinot iinecessarily iibe iiequally iieffective iiacross iiall iigroups iior iicommunities. iiThey iimay iiactually iiwiden iihealth iiinequalities iibecause iithey iiare iilikely iito iibe iimore iiaccessible iiand iieffective iiin iihealthier iigroups iior iicommunities.

Ethical iitheories iiprovide iipart iiof iithe iidecision-making iifoundation iifor iiDecision iiMaking iiWhen

Ethics iiAre iiIn iiPlay iibecause iithese iitheories iirepresent iithe iiviewpoints iifrom iiwhich iiindividuals iiseek iiguidance iias iithey iimake iidecisions. iiEach iitheory iiemphasizes iidifferent iipoints ii– iia iidifferent iidecision-making iistyle iior iia iidecision iirule—such iias iipredicting iithe iioutcome iiand iifollowing iione’s iiduties iito iiothers iiin iiorder iito iireach iiwhat iithe iiindividual iiconsiders iian iiethically iicorrect iidecision.

In iiorder iito iiunderstand iiethical iidecision iimaking, iiit iiis iiimportant iifor iistudents iito iirealize iithat iinot iieveryone iimakes iidecisions iiin iithe iisame iiway, iiusing iithe iisame iiinformation, iiemploying iithe iisame iidecision iirules. iiIn iiorder iito iifurther iiunderstand iiethical iitheory, iithere iimust iibe iisome iiunderstanding iiof iia iicommon iiset iiof iigoals iithat iidecision iimakers iiseek iito iiachieve iiin iiorder iito iibe iisuccessful. iiFour iiof iithese iigoals iiinclude iibeneficence, iileast iiharm, iirespect iifor iiautonomy, iiand iijustice. ii

ETHICAL iiPRINCIPLES

Beneficence

The iiprinciple iiof iibeneficence iiguides iithe iidecision iimaker iito iido iiwhat iiis iiright iiand iigood.

This iipriority iito ii“do iiwell” iimakes iian iiethical iiperspective iiand iipossible iisolution iito iian iiethical iidilemma iiacceptable. iiThis iiprinciple iiis iialso iirelated iito iithe iiprinciple iiof iiutility, iiwhich iistates iithat iiwe iishould iiattempt iito iigenerate iithe iilargest iiratio iiof iigood iiover iievil iipossible iiin iithe iiworld. iiThis iiprinciple iistipulates iithat iiethical iitheories iishould iistrive iito iiachieve iithe iigreatest iiamount iiof iigood iibecause iipeople iibenefit iifrom iithe iimost iigood. iiThis iiprinciple iiis iimainly iiassociated iiwith iithe iiutilitarian iiethical iitheory iidiscussed iilater iiin iithis iiset iiof iinotes.

Least iiHarm

Similar iito iibeneficence, iileast iiharm iideals iiwith iisituations iiin iiwhich iino iichoice iiappears iibeneficial. iiIn iisuch iicases, iidecision iimakers iiseek iito iichoose iito iido iithe iileast iiharm iipossible iiand iito iido iiharm iito iithe iifewest ii