OPGHI offers a wide range of mental and musculoskeletal health care services informed by best practices, designed to address the structural drivers of health equality. Using innovative care models to improve patient health outcomes we can simultaneously treat patients and train future health professionals on the multidisciplinary care necessary to end health disparity. In doing so we enrich patient and provider support through partnership, education, inclusion, and advocacy.
What is Health Equity?
According to the World Health Organization, Health Equity is defined as “the absence of avoidable, unfair, or remediable differences among groups of people, whether those groups are defined socially, economically, demographically, or geographically or by other means of stratification. ‘Health equity’ or ‘equity in health’ implies that ideally everyone should have a fair opportunity to attain their full health potential and that no one should be disadvantaged from achieving this potential.” 1 “Equity in health implies that ideally everyone should have a fair opportunity to attain their full health potential and, more pragmatically, that none should be disadvantaged from achieving this potential.” 2 Health Equity is driven by a number of things.
Figure 1 – Social Determinants of Health
Figure 2 – Social Determinants of Health
Social Determinants are the circumstances or situations having significant impact on a person’s overall health and wellbeing. The conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. 3 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has classified these into 5 categories:
1. Economic Stability (examples include)
2. Education Access and Quality (examples include)
3. Healthcare Access and Quality
4. Neighborhood and Built Environment (examples include)
5. Social and Community Context
The Kaiser Family Foundation takes this one step further to include an additional
category known as Food Security.
6. Food
1 https://www.who.int/health-topics/health-equity#tab=tab_1
2 Whitehead M. The concepts and principles of equity and health. Int J Health Services. 1992;22:429–445
3 Healthy People 2030, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Retrieved [date
graphic was accessed], from https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/social-determinants-health
OnePatient Global Health Initiative recognizes simultaneous societal oppression and privilege as it relates to the provision of healthcare. We are committed to the importance of our roles by acknowledging and addressing our own belief systems and how they impact patient wellness. We strive to understand how healthcare systems work, as well as our place in those systems, and commit to evaluate and improve on any societal disadvantage impacting patient health
Book your appointment with our skilled medical team, whether in person or over the phone, and set off on the path to a healthier future.
(773) 675-9900
contact@onepatient.org
5645 W Addison, Suite 251,
Chicago, IL 60634
2516 Waukegan Rd, #183,
Glenview, IL 60025
941 W Lawrence Ave,
Chicago, IL 60640
OnePatient @ 2023
