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‘Back to better’: amplifying health equity, and determinants of health perspectives during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Source :
- Global Health Promotion
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- SAGE Publications, 2021.
-
Abstract
- Introduction: Equity and social justice have long been key tenets of health promotion practice, policy and research. Health promotion foregrounds the pertinence of social, economic, cultural, political and spiritual life in creating and maintaining health. This necessitates a critical structural determinants of health perspective that actively engages with the experiences of health and wellbeing among diverse peoples. The inequitable impacts of pandemics are well documented, as are calls for improved pandemic responses. Yet, current pandemic and emergency preparedness plans do not adequately account for the social and structural determinants of health and health equity. Methods: Through five one-hour online conversations held in April 2020, we engaged 13 practice, policy, research and community leaders on the intersections of COVID-19 and gender, racism, homelessness, Indigenous health and knowledge, household food insecurity, disability, ethics and equitable futures post-COVID-19. We conducted a thematic analysis of speaker and participant contributions to investigate the impacts and influence of COVID-19 related to the structural and social determinants of health. We analyzed which policies, practices and responses amplified or undermined equity and social justice and identified opportunities for improved action. Findings: Analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed four broad themes: • oppressive, unjust systems and existing health and social inequities; • health and social systems under duress and non-responsive to equity; • disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 driven by underlying structural and socioeconomic inequity; and • enhanced momentum for collective mobilization, policy innovations and social transformation. Discussion: There was a strong desire for a more just and equitable society in a post-COVID-19 world, going ‘back to better’ rather than ‘back to normal.’ Our analysis demonstrates that equity has not been well integrated into pandemic planning and responses. Social movement and systems theories provide insight on ways to build on existing community mobilization and policy openings for sustained social transformation.
- Subjects :
- community action
Economic growth
Health Equity
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Social Determinants of Health
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Equity (finance)
COVID-19
Community action
Social justice
Health equity
Health promotion
determinants of health
Political science
Pandemic
Humans
systems
Original Article
Social determinants of health
policy / politics
Pandemics
equity / social justice
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 17579767 and 17579759
- Volume :
- 28
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Global Health Promotion
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....3594b4318f2ded49b00aa6b3345bfc8d