Dr Bob Gardner recently presented to a professional development workshop with the Health Professions Appeal and Review Broad and several other Ontario health regulatory or policy agencies. His co-participant was Kwasi Kafele of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health , a long-time diversity and equity leader. The Boards wanted to understand the foundations and dynamics of health disparities as part of the broader context for their work. Dr Gardner provides data on pervasive health disparities and showed how these inequalities were related to income, gender, ethno-cultural background , social exclusion and other broad determinants. He discusses how the foundations of health disparities in wider social and economic inequality can be addressed through comprehensive policy changes and set out the Wellesley Institute roadmap for building health equity. He also highlights inequitable access to care and differential treatment and quality within the healthcare system, and identifies strategies to reduce these adverse impacts and build health equity within healthcare.
Here is the presentation:
Social Determinants of Health Inequalities