Health Equity Framework

Health equity is defined as having the personal agency and fair access to resources and opportunities needed to achieve the best possible physical, emotional, and social well-being. The Health Equity Framework (HEF) centers on four spheres of influence to impact population health outcomes: 1) relationships and networks, 2) systems of power, 3) physiological pathways, and 4) individual factors.

HEF is a practical tool for communication leaders, educators, and health literacy professionals in public health research and practice. It reflects on COVID-19 digital communication tools and supports a shift toward addressing health inequities resulting from the interplay of structural, relational, individual, and physiological factors. Practical examples of the HEF are reflected in the Tools and Templates section.

Our focus is on residents’ need for accurate, timely, transparent, and equitable COVID-19 communication. HEF is reflected in the following diagram:

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