Health Equity

What is Health Equity?

Health equity is having the opportunity to attain the highest level of health, physically, mentally, and socially.

Everyone should be afforded this right; however, social, economic, and environmental barriers prevent people from being able to reach their full potential.

Because of those barriers, there are vast differences in disease and access to health care among people of different age, race, sexual identity, socioeconomic status, disability, and geographic location.

What does lack of health equity look like?

Health equity at pitt public health

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The Center for Health Equity (CHE) aims to understand and reduce health disparities in underserved populations, particularly those in Western Pennsylvania. The center engages the community in efforts to reduce the major causes of excess mortality among disadvantaged populations in the region, such as infant mortality; community violence; and cardiovascular health, with the ultimate goal of reducing excess mortality in the southwestern Pennsylvania region. Read more...

Certificate in Health Equity

The graduate certificate program provides students with an academic foundation for achieving health equity through...

  • assessing the complexity of inequities among diverse groups of marginalized populations, 
  • mobilizing communities where disparities exist,
  • developing culturally tailored interventions, and
  • advocating for healthy public policy.  

Learn more about the certificate...

Apply to Pitt Public Health...

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Minority Student Organization 

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Minority students have been under represented in the field of public health. MSO is a student led organization designed to support the needs and interests of minority students at Pitt Public Health by providing leadership skills, networking opportunities, seminars, and volunteer experiences.

Read more...

 

One Book One Community: Evicted

Evicted Book Cover

Every year, the Pitt Public Health community joins in reading and discussing one book related to contemporary concerns in public health. This year's book, Evicted by Matthew Desmond describes the plight of poor families who are forced to move from their homes, apartments, or trailers. "Evicted heartbreakingly illuminates how poverty and lack of housing affect families and communities." 

Read more...

Health Equity in the News

See how Pitt Public Health students and faculty are using their work to address health disparities.

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Gary-Webb testifies at PA Democratic Health Committee on Black COVID-19 Equity Coalition 

Gary-Webb testifies at PA Democratic Health Committee on Black COVID-19 Equity Coalition

EPI's Tiffany Gary-Webb presented testimony on COVID-19 disparities and our equity response at the July 15 House Democratic Policy Committee hearing on COVID-19 Health Disparities, impressing Representative Stephen Kinsey who wants to follow-up with Gary-Webb to connect the Philadelphia and Pittsbu... (07/21/2020)
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Why are minorities getting hit harder by COVID-19? Partly because of systemic racism, says Gary-Webb 

Why are minorities getting hit harder by COVID-19? Partly because of systemic racism, says Gary-Webb

THE MORNING CALL - EPI's Tiffany Gary-Webb, member of the Pittsburgh Black Covid-19 Equity Coalition, said there is a lack of robust and accessible testing, and that testing sites are not concentrated in communities of color. “We know that there’s disproportionate impacts, so we really think interv... (07/15/2020)
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Gender Equity Commission report calls for swift action on inequities in Pittsburgh 

Gender Equity Commission report calls for swift action on inequities in Pittsburgh

PUBLIC SOURCE - A new Gender Equity Commission report lists 11 recommended actions to address gender and racial disparities in Pittsburgh.Gender and race are at the center of its recommendations but the report also mentions how people who are differently abled, elderly or trans, for example, can fe... (07/10/2020)

FEATURED

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Brown talks about health equity implications of SCOTUS decision on employment protections for SGM

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Brown talks about health equity implications of SCOTUS decision on employment protections for SGM 

Brown talks about health equity implications of SCOTUS decision on employment protections for SGM

"The June 15, 2020, decision by the Supreme Court of the United States affirming Federal Civil Rights protections in employment for sexual and gender minorities (SGM) across the country has significant health equity implications...we celebrate this decision as a positive step toward creating more e... (07/09/2020)
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EOH's Social Justice Bookshelf 

EOH's Social Justice Bookshelf

Encouraged by the activism of MD/PhD candidate Alexander Schuyler, EOH Chair Sally Wenzel employed the technical savvy of EOH IT Manager Adam Orbell to create the digital EOH Social Justice Bookshelf. Many of the titles are available to read online for those in the Pitt community with Pitt Passport... (07/09/2020)