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Chapter 8 - Health Equity: Is It Even Possible?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 October 2025

Gregory J. Privitera
Affiliation:
St Bonaventure University, New York
James J. Gillespie
Affiliation:
Saint Mary's College, Indiana
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Summary

This chapter examines the feasibility of achieving health equity, arguing that it requires addressing both access to health care and the broader social determinants of health. Health equity ensures fair opportunities for all individuals to attain their highest health potential, transcending insurance access to include resources like housing, education, and food security. Barriers such as systemic inequities, lack of insurance, and geographic and transportation constraints disproportionately impact marginalized communities, contributing to health disparities. By analyzing policies like the Affordable Care Act in the United States and universal health care systems in Sweden and Denmark, the chapter highlights the potential of integrative approaches to close equity gaps. It underscores the principle of “meeting people where they are” to tailor interventions to diverse social, cultural, and economic contexts. Strategies for bipartisan solutions and public–private partnerships are presented as pathways to sustainable, inclusive health policies that prioritize equity beyond the point of care.

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Toward a Healthy Society
Comparative Perspectives on American Health Care Policy
, pp. 117 - 133
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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