"Making the link between structural inequities and health disparities: Implications for community based helping professionals" was presented by Dr. Emily Spence, Associate Dean for Community Engagement and Health Equity at the UNTHSC School of Public Health on October 11, 2023. During this Lunch and Learn, we will view the recording of that program and there will be an opportunity to discuss it at the end.

Nationwide, Black Americans show persistent health inequities, including higher rates of infant mortality, cancer mortality, high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, and stroke. These health disparities can be traced back centuries, and are strongly influenced by social determinants of health, and inextricably linked to historical inequities in US laws, housing discrimination, redlining, ethical violations in medical research, education, environment, and employment. The capacity of underserved populations to effectively engage in health care and gain empowerment in their health (health activation) can significantly reduce health disparities yet may be hindered by continued experiences with discrimination and mistrust. For communities, health, and human service providers to begin effectively addressing health disparities, it is critical to understand the complex systems, current and historical structural inequities, and sociocultural factors that influence residents’ access and engagement with care.

The Network of the National Library of Medicine is funded by the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services. Learn more at https://nnlm.gov.

This is a recording of a previously aired NNLM webinar on October 11, 2023.