Sign1News is partnering with the American Heart Association (AHA) to offer our Sign1News viewers quick heart healthy tips every week If there’s a health topic, you’d like more information about just let us know and we’ll see if we can get it into the show This week’s Heart Health Tip: Health Equality vs Health Equity According the AHA health equality means giving everyone the same health care opportunities, care and services But health equity means ending institutional and discriminatory barriers that lead to health inequities The AHA has committed to invest over $230,000,000 to ensure equitable health for all by addressing three major barriers: #1: Social Determinants Did you know that where you live can affect your health? People living in lower income areas have significantly higher rates of unhealthy diets which leads to higher risks of heart disease, stroke and other major health problems including early death Here is an example It’s a map of the New Orleans areas in Louisiana Statistics show that people living closer to inner city die on average 25 years sooner than someone living just a few miles away #2: Structural Racism A 2016 survey found that many medical students commonly believe racists myths about black people such as they feel less pain That impacts how health professionals treat black patients Policies that promote segregation in housing may explain why some neighborhoods have more uninsured families and less access to health care And #3: Threats to rural health People living in rural America face higher death rates from heart disease and strokes, lower life expectancy and higher rates of women dying during childbirth The AHA believes every person deserves the opportunity for a full, healthy life And they’ve set an aggressive goal of addressing and hopefully solving many health equity barriers by 2024 And that’s your American Heart Association Heart Health Tip of the Week
