Research Guides: Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Health Equity

Resources to Advance Health Equity

Most sections of this guide will have resources relevant to health equity. Here are a few that directly address the issue.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Includes the National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports
CDC Health Equity
CDC works to ensure health equity is embedded in an all-of-public health approach.
National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
NIMHD raises national awareness about the prevalence and impact of health disparities and disseminates information about interventions that may reduce or encourage the elimination of health disparities.
NINR National Institute of Nursing Research
NINR's mission is to lead nursing research to solve pressing health challenges and inform practice and policy – optimizing health and advancing health equity into the future.
National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health and Health Care
The National CLAS Standards are intended to advance health equity, improve quality, and help eliminate health care disparities by establishing a blueprint for health and health care organizations
NNLM Clinical Conversations Training Program
Clinical Conversations is a program from the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) with a readily-accessible, brief, modular curriculum for training clinicians and clinical staff who interact with patients about health literacy and the related concepts of SDOH and cultural humility.
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Health Literacy modules cover clear communication, teach back, numeracy, and health literacy and medications.
Trust for America's Health
Trust for America’s Health is a non-partisan public health policy, research and advocacy organization that envisions a nation that values the health and well-being of all and where prevention and health equity are foundational to policymaking at all levels of society.
US Dept of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health
Offers demographic data, resources, health literacy resources, and a repository of information dedicated to the health of minority populations.
WHO Global Health Equity Assessment Toolkit
The Health Equity Assessment Toolkit (HEAT) is used to study and report health inequalities. See also the WHO Health Topics tab, choose "H" and see the page on Health Equity.

Advancing Health Equity: A Guide to Language, Narrative and Concepts. (AMA & AAMC, 2021)
American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) EveryONE Project™
Education and resources to help you define and address health equity. See the resources under Project Priorities, Toolkits & Resources, Education.
American Hospital Association (AHA) Health Equity Action Library (HEAL)
HEAL is a knowledge bank of updated information readily available for all health care organizations to help build more inclusive and equitable communities.
American Medical Association (AMA) Center for Health Equity
Advocacy, initiatives, research, reports and other resources to guide practice and produce outcomes.
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion: Inclusive Language Guidelines (APA, 2021)
The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity
Explores how nurses can work to reduce health disparities and promote equity, while keeping costs at bay, utilizing technology, and maintaining patient and family-focused care into 2030.
Institute for Healthcare Improvement: Imprrovement Area - Health Equity
Improving health and health care worldwide requires a focus on equity — equity of access, treatments, and outcomes. See also the White Paper in Resources, Achieving Health Equity: A Guide for Health Care Organizations.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine - Ending Unequal Treatment: Strategies to Achieve Equitable Health Care and Optimal Healthcare for All (2024)
Racial and ethnic inequities in health and health care impact individual well-being, contribute to millions of premature deaths, and cost the United States hundreds of billions of dollars annually. Addressing these inequities is vital to improving the health of the nation’s most disadvantaged communities—and will also help to achieve optimal health for all.

Health Equity has been a PubMed MeSH (Medical Subject Heading) term since 2016.

Health Disparities is not a PubMed MeSH term, but (in July 2024) it does return the five MeSH terms below, and maps as an entry term to Health Inequities.

Health Inequities, introduced in 2022

Healthcare Disparities, introduced in 2008

Health Status Disparities, introduced in 2008

Socioeconomic Disparities in Health, introduced in 2023

Minority Health, introduced in 2008

These concepts may be searched in PubMed as a MeSH term, such as "Healthcare Disparities"[Mesh], or as keywords. They are an excellent way to uncover areas of need in a particular field or specialty.