HEALTH EQUITY: Access to healthcare and you

Health Equity is all about giving everyone an equal opportunity to be as healthy as possible. In a perfect world, we would have health equity. Unfortunately, various facets of inequality such as race or social class keep certain groups from achieving a healthy life. One factor that frequently prevents health equity is equal access to healthcare.

Depending on your race, social class or environment, you may or may not be able to receive decent healthcare. Often times people that have a lower income, live in areas that are more impoverished than others. A majority of these areas are less likely to have healthcare facilities nearby. Distance between your neighborhood and a doctor’s office is one thing when it comes to driving, however it’s another if you don’t have a car.

Getting to an appointment can be difficult when you have to depend on a bus schedule. This can become even more of an issue if you have to walk, especially if you live in an unsafe environment. Because of these hurdles, it is easy to neglect necessary doctor visits and simply stop going. While you may be able to determine if you are feeling sick or not, there are several illnesses or disease that only a professional can detect.

So what can we do to achieve health equity? One way to help yourself is to contact one of our health ambassadors. They are committed to assisting families by providing good health knowledge and habits. If you are looking to help others, you can host a visit by the health ambassadors. You can also organize a community-led action plan. Start small and start close to home. No matter your circumstances, we can all do our part to move towards health equity.