Health Equity and Social Justice

Policy Statements | Staff Contacts

NACCHO's Health Equity and Social Justice initiatives explore why certain populations bear a disproportionate burden of disease and mortality and what health departments can do to better address the causes of these inequities. The goal of NACCHO's Health Equity and Social Justice initiatives is to advance the capacity of local health departments (LHDs) to tackle the root causes of health inequities through public health practice and their organizational structure. NACCHO's Health Equity and Social Justice initiatives include:

The LHD National Coalition for Health Equity, a network to build solidarity and share experiences among LHDs, as well as develop public policy agendas, identify the need for training, and increase public awareness;
The Health Equity Campaign, which brings together health departments and others using the PBS documentary film series Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making us Sick? in their jurisdictions to host community dialogues about health equity;
The Health Equity and Social Justice Toolkit, a searchable database of Health Equity tools, publications, and resources, available in NACCHO's Toolbox; and
Publications tailored to local health departments, including the anthology Tackling Health Inequities through Public Health Practice: Theory to Action (revised and expanded version forthcoming, Oxford University Press, October 2009). Further resources are in development, including guidelines for health equity, a curriculum, and additional tools to advance practice.

Announcing a New Toolkit in NACCHO's Toolbox

Health Equity and Social Justice Toolkit

Announcing the Health Equity and Social Justice Toolkit, a searchable database of resources to help local health departments explore and tackle the root causes of inequity in the distribution of disease, illness, and death. It covers subjects ranging from social justice theory to public health practice, and includes journal articles, video clips, reports, PowerPoint presentations, book references, action guides, Web sites, and more. More »

New Webinar Available for Viewing

Tackling Health Inequity through Public Health Practice

NACCHO's Survive and Thrive program, through the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has brought together local health officials who have put health equity principles into practice at their local health departments. Learn the approach they have taken to address the root causes of health disparities in their communities.

Speakers:
Rajiv Bhatia, MD, MPH: Director, San Francisco Department of Public Health, Program on Health, Equity and Sustainability and Member of Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative (BARHII)
Adewale Troutman, MD, MPH, MA: Director, Louisville Metro Health Department, Center for Health Equity
Richard Hofrichter, PhD: Senior Analyst for Health Equity, NACCHO

Learning Objectives:
(1) Explain the concepts and definitions associated with health equity and the social determinants of health inequity.
(2) Discuss how local health departments have incorporated principles of health equity into practice.
(3) Describe approaches to effectively act on sources of inequity. More »

NACCHO's Health Equity Campaign

Unnatural Causes Receives Major Broadcast Journalism Award

In January 2009, Unnatural Causes received an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award for excellence in broadcast journalism. The duPont-Columbia Awards are considered the most prestigious in broadcast journalism, the equivalent of the Pulitzer Prizes. More »

This series, aired on PBS and available on DVD, explores how inequalities in housing, health, jobs, and education, combined with a lack of power and control over one's life, can result in poor health and even death. Preview a clip of this documentary series on the extent of America's health inequities or learn more about NACCHO's Health Equity Campaign.

Tackling Health Inequities through Public Health Practice: A Handbook for Action

This handbook offers knowledge-based innovative approaches for transforming daily public health practices and cultures to attack the root causes of inequities in the distribution of disease and illness. Preview this publication, or purchase the book.