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

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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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Black Equity Coalition and Tiffany Gary-Webb use data driven approach to addressing health disparities in the COVID-19 pandemic 

Black Equity Coalition and Tiffany Gary-Webb use data driven approach to addressing health disparities in the COVID-19 pandemic

PITT MED - Concerned about the COVID-19 death rate for Black Pittsburghers, Tiffany Gary-Webb and a group of scholars in her sphere reached out to public health officials. When they asked about the rates in the Pittsburgh area, the data were not available to the public at the time. In the ensuing w... (04/06/2022)
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Researchers seek answers on how structural racism could impact dementia 

Researchers seek answers on how structural racism could impact dementia

WESA - EPI's Andrea Rosso and Tiffany Gary-Webb, Associate Director of the Center for Health Equity, are part of a research study intent on learning how structural racism has affected the cognitive health of Pittsburgh residents in two of the city's historically Black communities: Homewood and Hill... (03/22/2022)
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Congratulations to Jennifer Adibi as an inaugural Social Justice Faculty Fellow 

Congratulations to Jennifer Adibi as an inaugural Social Justice Faculty Fellow

PITTWIRE - EPI's Jennifer Adibi was selected as an inaugural Social Justice Faculty Fellow! The fellowship supports faculty who are committed to social justice and equity, and is one of several initiatives at Pitt seeking to address structural racism and inequity. Fellows receive a $10,000 award, f... (03/15/2022)
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Dean Lichtveld collaborates on newest edition of Environmental Policy and Public Health 

Dean Lichtveld collaborates on newest edition of Environmental Policy and Public Health

After more than a year of research, Dean Maureen Lichtveld has published the third edition of Environmental Policy and Public Health. This newly released edition, co-authored by Barry L. Johnson of Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, comprises two volumes addressing key environmental... (03/08/2022)
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Health Justice Scholars focus on equity in public health 

Health Justice Scholars focus on equity in public health

PITTWIRE - From addressing health disparities in transgender communities to researching links between racism and asthma, the Health Justice Scholars program challenges students to approach their work with a focus on equity. EPI's Dara Mendez said students were the inspiration behind starting the pr... (12/15/2021)