Our approach

The Center for Health Policy has three pillars: Research, Education and Community.

These pillars are underpinned foundationally by health equity, the translation of research into policy and the practical and effective implementation of policies that influence and affect health.

There is recognition that policies that influence and affect the health of individuals, communities and populations may not be health policies.

There is also recognition that while often used interchangeably health disparities and health inequities are not the same. Health disparities are differences in disease or health outcomes between defined groups; health inequities are when those disease or health differences (often arising from systemic and structural factors) are avoidable, unnecessary and unjust with health equity being the value underlying a commitment to reduce and ultimately eliminate health disparities (1, 2, 3).

References 

1. Meghani SH, Gallagher RM. Disparity vs inequity: toward reconceptualization of pain treatment disparities. Pain Med. 2008;9(5):613-623. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4637.2007.00344.x 
2. Braveman P. What are health disparities and health equity? We need to be clear. Public Health Rep. 2014;129 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):5-8. doi:10.1177/00333549141291S203 
3. Braveman PA, Kumanyika S, Fielding J, et al. Health disparities and health equity: the issue is justice. Am J Public Health. 2011;101 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S149-S155. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2010.300062