Social and health equity and equality: The need for a scientific framework

ABSTRACT: Problem: Studies on health/disease often use concepts such as equity/inequity, equality/inequality, and social justice. These terms are not always clearly and precisely defined, nor are they used with the same meaning by different authors. Objective: 1) To present and analyze the concepts used in the literature on living conditions, social justice, social and health equity and inequality, and 2) to offer a conceptual framework that allows these concepts to be used in a scientific manner. Methodology: Literature review and comparison of terms used in both general and specialist dictionaries, articles, and books. Results: Broad basic definitions of terms are presented. The approach used by Latin American Collective Health and Critical Epidemiology is based on understanding the social origins of equity/inequity and their visible manifestation in the determination of equality/inequality. Conclusion: There is little agreement on the conceptualization of these terms. The critical realism developed by Latin American Collective Health and Critical Epidemiology examines equity/inequity as a social process that generates equality/inequality and enables a scientific approach to the study of both concepts.

• Autores: Correa Botero, Adriana María; Arias Valencia, María Mercedes; Carmona Fonseca, Jaime
• Tipo de recurso: Review article
• Fecha de publicación: 2012
• Institución: Universidad de Antioquia
• Repositorio: Repositorio UdeA
• Idioma: eng
• OAI Identifier: oai:bibliotecadigital.udea.edu.co:10495/37070
• Acceso en línea: https://hdl.handle.net/10495/37070; https://www.socialmedicine.info/index.php/socialmedicine/article/view/639
• Palabra clave: Política Pública; Public Policy; Proceso Salud-Enfermedad; Health-Disease Process; Condiciones Sociales; Social Conditions; Justicia Social; Social Justice
• Rights: openAccess
• License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/co/