CDC - Public Affairs in Health Issue Best Proctices, Health Disparity/Equity

Public Affairs in Health (PAH)
Best Practice

Health Disparity/Equity: Operationalizing Terms of Use
Doresa A. Jennings PhD, M.Ed

Abstract
This paper proposes the need for and the opportunities of operationalizing terms normally found when evaluating and reporting results of public health practices that deal with health disparity/equity. The purpose of this paper is to put forth a framework in an effort to garner consensus in the use of terms often seen in the evaluation of programs with a focus on health disparity/equity, especially within the area of health communications. The terms dealt with in this paper are: fairness, health equity, health disparity, underserved populations, health access, and health outcome.

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Introduction
According to the White House (2009), President Obama supports legislation to encourage research that will examine gender and health disparities. A focus on the issue of health disparities in research should increase in the very near future. It is also reasonable to guess there may be health disparities/health equity reporting requirements for organizations that receive federal, state, and/or local dollars for health research and services. With the increased focus in these areas, it is the author’s desire to propose a standardization and operationalization of terms commonly associated with this very important area of research. This is especially true in health communications, a public health area often noted for its work in health disparities and health equity (Thomas, 2005).

If we begin to see in health communication a resurgence of articles and study results focusing on health disparity and associated topics, it will be much easier to interpret, utilize, and expand on the knowledge if there is an agreement on the meanings associated with and the parameters defined by those terms. To start with, defined consensus on the operationalization of terms within public health communications could be a useful start to this endeavor. While consensus is never easy (and in some ways, limited by time), it can make the research of the area of concentration more impactful and make the specific research more meaningful to the broader field of public health.

The terms this paper will be focus on are: fairness, health equity, health disparity, underserved populations, healthcare access, and health outcome. These particular terms were chosen due to their frequency of use in research proposals, journal articles, and official releases from public health organizations, especially in health communication(s). Without agreement on terms, it can undermine data results and reduce confidence in analysis. Lack of confidence in analysis can cause a hindrance in the ability to help intended audiences. One reason the operationalization of terms of use is so important in health communications is the nature in which results are disseminated and utilized. The very nature of health communications brings with it a broad distribution of the research it produces, from historical professional public health audiences and clinicians, to release of information to the general public from press releases, various print and television media, websites, and even blogs. Messages have the potential to reach such a wide array of audiences that ensuring the messages are encoded with the proper terms and generate appropriate decoding are key.


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CDC - Public Affairs in Health Issue Best Proctices, Health Disparity/Equity