From Principles to Practice: One Local Health Department's Journey Toward Health Equity

Abstract

Few dispute that social determinants such as economics, education, and the environment are the true drivers of health. In fact, the recent ?Public Health 3.0? publication is a national call to action for public health to focus upstream. Where there is less clarity is how to redesign public health practice to address social determinants. As an example of how local health departments can heed this national call, Harris County Public Health describes its movement from health equity principles to practice, which included reframing an understanding of health inequities and applying a multitiered infrastructure of policy and procedures for ?retrofitting? practice.

Keywords

• health disparities
• health equity
• public health