Simply defined, health equity is achieved when individuals from different backgrounds and walks of life have the same health outcomes. In the United States, we have looked at health equity through a racial lens because, in general, some racial groups have better health outcomes than others. Traditionally, we have compared our health outcomes to the White population in the United States, as in many cases, they have the best health outcomes. However, that is not always the case.
Health equity also has a leveling effect in the positive. When comparing developed countries, many wealthy territories with higher degrees of health equity enjoy better health outcomes than the wealthiest in the United States. In short, our tolerance for health inequality makes it so our best health outcomes are often worse than in other more equitable systems. So, seeking health equity is good for everyone, and benefits all of us.
At the University of Utah, we have various researchers who have been striving to answer the question, How do we secure health equity? Their work is bringing us closer to achieving that goal. Panelists discussed successful interventions to approach health equity—and examine what securing it might look like in our country.
In case you missed “Securing Health Equity,” log in with your UNID to view the panel here.
Speakers
Ivette A. López, PhD, MPH
Professor, Public Health Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
The University of Utah
Director, Utah Area Health Education Centers
Moderator
Ivette Amelia López, Ph.D., MPH is a Professor of Public Health at the University of Utah Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. She is also the PI/Director of the Utah Area Health Education Centers, Core Educator, Community Engaged Learning Lead, and Community Engagement Activities School of Medicine. Dr. López was born and raised in Caguas, Puerto Rico, and came to the United States mainland to pursue advanced education. She is and has been a dedicated professional in pursuit of health equity for Latinos and other disadvantaged populations in the United States for decades. From AIDS (the epidemic that drew her to public health) to diabetes, and obesity causal explanations among minority women, to health assessments of Latino populations, her research and service are dedicated to engaging minority communities in finding solutions to their health burdens.
Daniel E. Dawes, JD
Executive Director, Satcher Health Leadership Institute
Professor of Health Law, Policy, and Management
Morehouse School of Medicine
Panelist
Daniel E. Dawes, JD is a widely respected healthcare and public health leader, health policy expert, educator, and researcher who serves as executive director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine and a professor of health law, policy, and management.
He is the author of two groundbreaking books, “150 Years of ObamaCare” and “The Political Determinants of Health,” both published by Johns Hopkins University Press. Among his many achievements, he was an instrumental figure in developing and negotiating the Mental Health Parity Act, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, and the Affordable Care Act’s health equity-focused provisions, among other landmark federal policies, as well as the principal investigator for the nation’s first health equity tracker, co-founder of the Health Equity Leadership and Exchange Network (HELEN), and co-principal investigator of the HHS National COVID-19 Resiliency Network. Professor Dawes is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and an elected fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine.
He serves as an advisor to The White House COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, an appointed member of the CDC’s Advisory Committee to the Director and co-chair of the CDC’s Health Equity Working Group, as well as the NIH’s National Advisory Council for Nursing Research.
Bonzo K. Reddick, MD, MPH
Professor & Chair, Department of Community Medicine
Mercer University School of Medicine
Panelist
Dr. Bonzo is the Chair of the Department of Community Medicine, and a professor in the Community Medicine and Family Medicine departments at Mercer University School of Medicine in Savannah, GA—the city where he was also born and raised. Before assuming the role of department chair, he also served as the Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Mercer for six years. After receiving his BS degree (Biology) from Morehouse College and MD degree from Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA, Dr. Bonzo attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he completed a family medicine residency, two faculty development fellowships, and an MPH degree with an added Interdisciplinary Certificate in Health Disparities. He practices at the JC Lewis Primary Health Care Center, a federally qualified health center (FQHC) and designated healthcare for the homeless (HCH) site.
Gita Suneja, MD, MSHP
Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology
The University of Utah
Panelist
Dr. Gita Suneja is a radiation oncologist and physician-scientist with a commitment to cultivating cancer health equity, as well as promoting diversity and inclusion in the radiation oncology workforce. Dr. Suneja is an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Utah School of Medicine, an investigator at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, and an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences at the University of Utah. Her clinical specialties include the treatment of breast and gynecologic malignancies. Her research program focuses on utilizing advanced health services research methods to enhance cancer outcomes for marginalized communities. Dr. Suneja serves as the Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Radiation Oncology Institute, Vice-Chair of the Steering Committee on Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at American Society for Therapeutic Radiation Oncology; and the Co-Chair for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines for Cancer in People with HIV and Kaposi Sarcoma. With her unique skills and passion in combining clinical radiation oncology, health equity research, and training the next generation of oncologists, Dr. Suneja is working to enhance the quality of cancer care for all people.