Health Disparity vs Health Inequity
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All health indicators represent differences across health outcomes, but in order to understand certain disparities, it is important to understand the history that lead to these disparities. All health inequities are health disparities, but not all health disparities are health inequities.
Though sometimes used interchangeably, disparity and inequity have different definitions. According to MN Department of Health: health disparities are differences in health status and mortality rates across population groups, which can sometimes be expected, such as cancer rates in the elderly versus children; health inequities are differences in health status and mortality rates across population groups that are systemic, avoidable, unfair, and unjust, such as breast cancer mortality for black women versus white women. Understanding the difference provides greater context for the determinants of health and serves as a means to prioritize health issues, develop health policy and shape effective health programs. |
History Matters
How Redlining Continues To Shape Racial Segregation in Milwaukee
1930s Lending Map Reveals The Policy Roots of Housing Discrimination. Visit full article and interactive map at WisContext. |
Health inequities are systemic, meaning specific programs and policies have perpetuated these injustices. An article in WisContext explains that banks in Milwaukee denied loans to people of color in the 1930s. The article further states that banks, the government, and real estate agencies purposefully denied African American families opportunities to loans and housing. These actions are known as redlining and prevented African American families from home ownership, creating segregated neighborhoods throughout Milwaukee.
Minority families were forced into neighborhoods with declining housing stock, putting these communities at a higher risk for environmental health issues. Due to neighborhood location, access to quality medical care and education is also strained for African American communities. Being denied loans to buy homes also prevented the accumulation of generational wealth for many African American families. |
Redlining Negatively Impacts Health
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Redlining negatively impacted the health communities and these health outcomes are still seen today. Families that experienced redlining were more likely to be renters of poor housing stock. Poor housing stock in older homes means that environmental health risks such as deteriorating lead based-paint are exposed. Therefore, families that were impacted by redlining were more likely to face health risks such as lead poisoning.
A recent study from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee showed an association between child blood lead levels and firearm violence. This progression shows that forcing certain communities into poor neighborhoods with deteriorating housing stock leads to negative health effects that can impact communities for generations. |
Segregated By Design
Segregated By Design is a movie based on the Richard Rothstein's book, The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How our Government Segregated America. ‘Segregated By Design’ examines the forgotten history of how our federal, state and local governments unconstitutionally segregated every major metropolitan area in America through law and policy. |
Wealth Affects Health Equity
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One of the biggest barriers to health equity faced by communities who experienced redlining is a lack of generational wealth. Because families were denied loans to buy homes, these families were unable to accumulate equity in the form of wealth. Without owning property, families did not pass on equity to their children or their children’s children.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation states that wealth is essential for health equity. Purposeful government policies and systems prevented certain communities from obtaining generational wealth. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation states that wealth is essential for health equity. Though there are disparities in income between African Americans and white communities, the disparities in inherited wealth are far starker. Individuals with higher wealth have lower rates of chronic disease and longer lives. Additionally, the report states these individuals have better health outcomes including “lower mortality, higher life expectancy, and decreased risks of obesity, smoking, hypertension, and asthma.” Overall, generational wealth is essential for health equity in all communities. Wealth allows communities to have more access to opportunities such as education and health care. These opportunities help shape the health of families and generations to come. |
Figure 2 from Wealth Matters for Health Equity from University of California San Francisco and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Read article here. |
As stated in the report, individuals with higher wealth have lower rates of chronic disease. See how that is experienced in Milwaukee County. Below is a mini-dashboard created using healthcompassmilwaukee.org. Click below to explore the data and view the full dashboard on chronic disease in Milwaukee.
