Measurement of health disparities, health inequities, and social determinants of health to support the advancement of health equity
Penman-Aguilar A, Talih M, Huang D, Moonesinghe R, Bouye K, Beckles G.; in Journal for Public Health Management & Practice
Measurement of health disparities, health inequities, and social determinants of health to support the advancement of health equity recommends a set of five practices for measuring health disparities, health equity, and social determinants of health.
This technical research article proposes a set of five recommended practices that can be used to support advancement of health equity through the measurement of health disparities, health inequities, and social determinants of health, particularly at the national level.
These practices include:
- Assessing differences in health and determinants associated with social position
- Assessing social and structural determinants of health and considering multiple levels of measurement
- Providing reasons for methodological choices and clarifying their implications
- Comparing groups that share multiple social statuses
- Communicating with stakeholders when selecting measures and analytic methods
Each practice also outlines a specific approach to monitoring progress.
Full citation: Penman-Aguilar A, Talih M, Huang D, Moonesinghe R, Bouye K, Beckles G. (2016). Measurement of health disparities, health inequities, and social determinants of health to support the advancement of health equity. Journal of Public Health Management & Practice 22:S33-S42.
When to use
​Researchers might use this article to inform their research questions, shape their methodology, or guide their communications strategies. Public health practitioners might review this paper to gain insight into the opportunities and challenges of measuring progress on advancing health equity at the national level.
Things to consider
This article is written for a research audience and contains highly technical terminology.
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