Jurisdictions around the world have developed comprehensive multi-level strategies to address health inequalities and their underlying social determinants:
- The World Health Organization’s Special Commission on Social Determinants of Health has attracted a great deal of attention. Not only did it publish a massive report, but it created various knowledge networks on various aspects of social determinants and policy to address.
- WHO Europe, the European Union and other bodies have developed strategies, undertaken extensive research and created clearinghouses where promising practices address health inequalities are assessed and shared.
- Many European, Australian and other jurisdictions have created national or stale level strategies. Several of these have been well established for years and have undertaken evaluations of their impact and lessons learned.
- A number of leading cites such as London and New York have created city-level strategies to address health inequalities and population health.
Closer to home, Toronto Central LHIN has developed the most comprehensive health equity strategy – Wellesley developed a strategic framework the LHIN built on. Local conditions and priorities will vary and strategies developed for particular contexts – such as this for Toronto Central – will not be applicable in other LHINs. Nor does every LHIN need such a comprehensive strategy. But there is also no need to totally ‘reinvent the wheel’ and this strategy could be a useful starting point for others.
These notes provide an overview to build from.