Equality in health care improves people's health

Promoting equitable health care will improve people's health. This can be cost effective and have a big impact. Based on more than 15 years of research, we provide concrete examples of actions that can be taken by healthcare professionals - and their impact on patients.

Our multidisciplinary team of EQUIP Health Care researchers from universities across Canada has studied strategies to improve care. We are among the first to show that equitable healthcare predicts an improvement in patient health outcomes over time.

This advantage occurs despite the negative consequences of poverty, racism and other forms of discrimination against people's health.

Justice influences mental health

Throughout the world, people are facing health challenges due to poverty, discrimination and the continuing effects of trauma and violence. This leads to health inequalities defined by the World Health Organization as avoidable and unfair differences in human health.

Our evidence shows that when cared for, patients feel more comfortable and safe with a fairer care. This leads to more confidence in their own ability to prevent and manage health problems. They also report less depression and trauma, less chronic pain and improved quality of life.

A focus on mitigation

Justice-related health care means paying particular attention to those who are most at risk. This usually means that people are most affected by the negative effects of social conditions such as poverty, lack of affordable housing, stigma, racism and other forms of discrimination.

It is trauma and violence information supply. That is, understanding the effects of trauma and violence on people's lives, their health and their health experiences, and working to limit them.

This also includes a culture-safe supply: reduction of power imbalances, racism and discrimination, which often occur in meetings in the health sector.

The dimension of mitigation is also important. This includes a focus on preventing the damage of substance use, including stigma.

In our model, these three key dimensions overlap and can be tailored to any healthcare situation. We've isolated 10 strategies that emerge from these key dimensions to help healthcare workers and their organizations improve their ability to provide justice-based healthcare. This includes taking care of differences in power and taking active action against racism.

The more Reforbes the better.

Hire an elder, reduce stigma

Justice-oriented health care does not have to be expensive or time-consuming - many strategies aim to help people feel safe and comfortable.

This includes avoiding the language of judgment, not limiting the visits to "a problem" and welcoming and welcoming people on calls or visits. They can be as simple as providing water or coffee in the waiting room.

Here are some examples of how clinics in our first EQUIP study in different cities and communities have developed their practices to achieve a fairer focus:

1. The reception staff decided to change the phrasing and tone in response to phone calls from patients to book appointments. They wanted to make sure people did not feel dismissed or humiliated when they called.

2. A clinic serving a large number of Indigenous people has decided to hire a part-time senior who can talk to people while waiting for a doctor or nurse.

3. The staff set up a chronic pain group to teach pain management to patients. This has been important for humans as life with chronic pain is affected and deepened by poverty, substance use and loneliness.

4. Employees developed new mitigation strategies and practices to reduce stigma and improve support for people living with drug problems.

5. Employees deliberately used new trauma and violence-informed approaches to provide better care for new immigrants and refugees arriving in Canada and experiencing significant levels of trauma and violence.

Adaptation for emergency rooms

Given the impact of the EQUIP model, we have developed free online tools and Equipping for Equity modules designed to help healthcare decision makers, organizations and healthcare providers deliver justice-based healthcare. These include multimedia resources and organizational self-reviews.

New studies to adapt and test EQUIP in emergency departments, mental health facilities and hospital departments are underway - as we generate new insights into the transformative potential of this approach to improving care for all.