Health Equity: 06/20/11

Monday, June 20, 2011

[EQ] Health Equity Impact Assessment

Health Equity Impact Assessment

A primer / Haber, Rebecca. -- Toronto: Wellesley Institute (2010)

Available online PDF [6p.] at: http://bit.ly/knvM3q

“……Health inequalities are pervasive in Ontario and around the globe. In Ontario, people with low incomes report their health to be poor or fair at a rate three times that of people with high income. People with higher incomes live longer with better quality of life than people with low incomes. The same gradients are found for particular conditions, and health outcomes can be worse for specific populations including aboriginals, recent immigrants, women, and remote communities.

While the roots of these health disparities lie in wider social determinants of health such as income inequality, precarious work, racism and social exclusion, inequitable access to quality early childhood development, inadequate housing, and other dimensions of social inequality and exclusion, the health system is also key.

Not only do disadvantaged populations end up sicker and in need of care, they also face inequitable access and differential quality of care. While the health system can mediate the impact of the social determinants of health, it can also further widen health disparities if inequitable access and quality are not addressed.

What is needed is a comprehensive strategy to tackle these disparities. This includes building equity into strategic priorities and performance management, aligning equity with existing drivers and priorities, and using available resource and policy levers to drive equity-focused initiatives.

This requires understanding specific barriers to equitable care and support, and the specific needs of health disadvantaged populations.

And this requires equity-focused planning using an array of effective and practical tools.
One promising tool is Health Equity Impact Assessment (HEIA)…..”

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[EQ] The State of World's Midwifery 2011: Delivering Health, Saving Lives

The State of World's Midwifery 2011:
Delivering Health, Saving Lives

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), June 2011

Main page available online at: http://bit.ly/lmykw7

English: http://bit.ly/jD5lAL

French: http://bit.ly/lIIX8Q
Spanish: http://bit.ly/iY5r5e

“….The report confirms the critical role midwives play in improving maternal and newborn health and survival. It highlights the shortage of skilled midwives in many low-income countries, stressing the need to train and deploy more midwives in all parts of a country - especially remote and rural areas.

The report, commissioned and coordinated by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), was launched at the Triennial Congress of the International Confederation of Midwives in Durban, South Africa today….” WHO press release

“….Increasing women's access to quality midwifery has become a focus of global efforts to realize the right of every woman to the best possible health care during pregnancy and childbirth. A first step is assessing the situation.

The report supported by 30 partners, provides the first comprehensive analysis of midwifery services and issues in countries where the needs are greatest.

The report provides new information and data gathered from 58 countries in all regions of the world. Its analysis confirms that the world lacks some 350,000 skilled midwives -- 112,000 in the neediest 38 countries surveyed -- to fully meet the needs of women around the world. The report explores a range of issues related to building up this key health workforce….”

Content:

Foreword

Executive Summary

Introduction

Part 1: Midwifery around the world

Part 2: The state of midwifery today

Part 3: Moving Forward

Part 4: Country profiles

References and Notes

Annex 1: Abbreviations, acronyms and glossary

Annex 2: Data dictionary

Annex 3: Workforce estimates

Annex 4: Lives saved analysis
English: http://www.unfpa.org/sowmy/resources/en/main.htm

French: http://www.unfpa.org/sowmy/resources/fr/main.htm

Spamish : http://www.unfpa.org/sowmy/resources/es/main.htm
..

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