Health for all through policy

Health for all through policy ensures that laws and regulations actively work to reduce or eliminate health disparities, promoting fairness for all communities. By collaboratively creating and enforcing policies, this approach addresses systemic inequities, ensuring that everyone, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to the resources and opportunities needed for a healthy life. These policies foster an environment where social justice is at the core, advancing health equity and improving outcomes for historically insufficiently catered to populations.

Advice from authors on searching for information:

Use keywords like “health fairness policy” and “structural determinants of health” when searching. Look beyond peer-reviewed literature to include policy briefs, government reports, and advocacy publications. Follow organizations focused on equity-driven policymaking, as they often publish timely and practical resources.

Organizations, repositories, websites, and other sources where you can find more information:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Health Equity website provides information and resources on various efforts and initiatives aimed at reducing health disparities and promoting equitable health outcomes across diverse populations. The What is Health Equity? page explains the concept of health equity, discusses why it is important, and outlines the CDC’s commitment to achieving health equity by addressing social determinants of health and reducing health disparities. The In Action page highlights various programs, initiatives, and collaborations that the CDC is implementing to promote health equity and reduce health disparities across different communities and populations.
• The National Collaborative for Health Equity (NCHE) focuses on promoting health equity and social justice by advocating for policies and practices that address social determinants of health, eliminate health disparities, and foster conditions for healthy communities. The Our Work page details various initiatives and projects to promote health equity, specifically by addressing social determinants of health, dismantling structural racism, and creating conditions that foster equitable health outcomes and social justice in communities.
• PolicyLink. A national research and action institute advancing racial and economic equity by Lifting Up What Works®. They provide resources on equitable community development and empowerment. Their Governing Power page describes the initiatives and strategies to build governing power that champions equity and justice.
• The Health Equity Tracker website has tools and resources for tracking health inequities and disparities in the United States. The tracker collects and analyzes data from various sources, including the CDC, the Census Bureau, America’s Health Information, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, to identify gaps in health outcomes. The tracker looks specifically at the roles of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and other social determinants of health in health outcomes. With this data, policymakers, researchers, and advocates can make informed decisions to promote health equity and improve public health.
• The WHO’s Social Determinants of Health webpage provides comprehensive information on how factors like socioeconomic status, education, and environment impact health outcomes. This webpage highlights the organization’s efforts to promote health equity through research, policy development, and advocacy for social justice.
• CLASP is a national, nonpartisan, anti-poverty nonprofit advancing policy solutions to improve the lives of people with low incomes.

Challenges you may encounter while searching for information:

Inconsistent terminology like “health fairness” and “collaborative policymaking” are used variably across fields. Much relevant content exists in policy briefs, community reports, or advocacy materials that may not be indexed in academic databases. Additionally, measuring the direct impact of such policies is complex, making it harder to find clear evaluations or outcomes.

Articles, books, and other publications in translational science using the indicator:

• Creary MS. Bounded justice and the limits of health equity. J Law Med Ethics. 2021;49(2):241-256. doi:10.1017/jme.2021.34.
• Peterson A, Charles V, Yeung D, Coyle K. The health equity framework: A science- and justice-based model for public health researchers and practitioners. Health Promotion Practice. 2021;22(6):741-746. doi:10.1177/1524839920950730.