What is 'health equity' vs 'health disparities'?

• A. Health equity aims for fairness by addressing structural inequalities; health disparities are the measurable differences in health outcomes across groups.
• B. Health disparities are the same as health equity.
• C. Health equity only concerns access to healthcare, not outcomes.
• D. Health disparities refer to geographic variation only.

Answer: (D)

Health equity centers on fairness in health, aiming to ensure everyone has a fair opportunity to be healthy by addressing the structural inequalities that shape health—from housing and education to income and access to resources. Health disparities are the measurable differences in health outcomes or in access to care between groups, such as by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or geography. The important distinction is that equity is the normative goal of reducing unfair differences, while disparities are the actual gaps we can observe and quantify. Geographic variation can be one aspect of disparities, but disparities encompass many dimensions beyond location, including race, income, gender, and other social determinants.