Home > Global Health Center > Health Inequities
Health Inequities
Health inequities are a growing threat to global health which require a coordinated response.
Our vision
A coordinated global effort
No single nation can solve health inequities alone. Success requires international cooperation and shared commitment.
Building resilient systems
Health systems must be strengthened to serve marginalized populations and withstand future challenges.
Equitable access for all
Everyone deserves quality healthcare regardless of geography, income, or background. This requires dismantling barriers to access.
The problem in numbers
33
years
Life expectancy gap between the highest and lowest countries
5
billion
People worldwide lack access to essential surgical care.
90
%
Health Equity Committee
Our Health Equity Committee is committed to upholding healthcare as a fundamental human right through evidence-based strategies that eliminate health disparities.
Reports & Publications
Situation Report
A Global Assessment of Health Disparities
This situation report provides a comprehensive assessment of global health disparities, examining the complex web of factors that create and perpetuate health inequalities worldwide. The evidence reveals stark contrasts in life expectancy, access to care, and health literacy.
Theme Issue
Challenges and Opportunities in Health Disparities
Health disparities remain a pressing global concern, shaped by the interplay of socioeconomic status, geography, race, ethnicity, and access to healthcare. This theme issue explores the complex challenges that perpetuate inequities in health outcomes, while also highlighting emerging opportunities to bridge these gaps.
review article
Digital Health Information Systems and Rural Health Equity: China's Experience in Global Context
By Yuli Ye, Qiang Li, & Qinying He
Rural-urban health disparities persist globally despite decades of interventions. Digital health information systems offer promise for addressing these inequities, yet implementation remains uneven and evidence fragmented.
Theme Issue
Implementation and Impact of Vaccination and Infectious Disease Control in Low-Resource Settings
Infectious diseases remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, disproportionately affecting populations in low-resource settings where healthcare infrastructure and public health outreach are limited. This issue features articles exploring vaccination, infectious disease control, and technology-driven surveillance in these environments.
original research
Health Disparities in Asthma: it’s not complicated, but it’s complex
By Brittany Duchene, University of Vermont
Health disparities have been documented in different types of cancer, obesity related disease, cardiac disease and lung disease. Elimination of health inequalities for minority groups would reduce total costs by $1.5 trillion over a 3 year period…
More focus areas
Climate Change
Vaccination
Neurodegeneration
