Health Equity in Maternal & Child Health
The impacts of social determinants and health inequities on maternal and child health cause poor health outcomes that impact the life span of families and generations. Health equity and social justice are vital to a society that needs to be healthy and thriving. Achieving health equity is an active and ongoing process that requires the commitment of individuals, communities, and organizations.
Life Course Perspective in MCH
The Life Course Perspective is a way of looking at life not as disconnected stages, but as an integrated continuum. It is a tool for understanding and impacting health disparities, particularly disparities that originate in childhood. It focuses on how early life experiences can shape health across a lifetime and potentially generations.
Looking at health through a life course perspective hopes to address three key areas:
- Your health as an individual
- Your health before your conception (i.e. your mom’s health preconception/interconception)
- Your children’s health (intergenerational component).
Resources In Advancing Health Equity
- American Public Health Association – Equity
- Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP)
- Black Mamas Matter Alliance
- Black Maternal Health Caucus
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Health Equity
- Native Alliance Against Violence
- National Institute for Children’s Health Quality
- National Healthy Start Association
- Office of Minority Health (HHS.gov)
