The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is #EmbraceEquity. Although equality and equity are often used interchangeably, it’s not the same. Equality is the end goal, but equity is how we get there. Being in the health and aesthetic business, I have often asked, “why is equity in women’s health important and how do we achieve it?” My deep dive into disparities in health equity occurred during my doctoral studies which have provided a rich learning environment to understand the influencing factors that create and perpetuate disparities and the strategies to address them.
As I reflect and share with you my role in advancing the efforts to achieve health equity, we must first understand that we all deserve an optimal and just opportunity to live a healthy life, as “one size certainly does not fit all.” While everyone may have the exact opportunities to healthcare, too often we may not have the healthcare opportunities that are appropriate for us. If we were all given a pair of size 10 shoes, that would be equal, but it would not be equitable because not everyone wears the same size. It would have been more equitable for everyone to get a pair of shoes in an appropriate size.
Being healthy is an individual behavior for instance, diet, exercise, whether we smoke or not or how quickly we are able to address medical issues before becoming seriously ill. Taking personal responsibility for maintaining and improving our health is important, but what we chose to do for our health is dependent on the options that are available to us. If we live in a neighborhood with heavy traffic, no sidewalks or parks, then outdoor exercise might not be a viable option. Health equity means removing barriers and biases that are holding back people from opportunities to improve their health. Although healthcare has a long way to go to effectively address health inequities, in pursuit of closing the gap, we must ask, “who does health equity begins with?”
My answer is simple, “it begins with us” and by “us” I mean not only as individuals, but “we” as part of a team, “we” as part of a program, “we” as part of an organization, “we” as part of a community or society. Personally, for me, health equity is a journey that begins with self-reflection, self-awareness, education and empowering ourselves and others to change. I strongly believe, everyone should be given the opportunity to improve their health and quality of life. My lifelong passion and goal are to lead and inspire a happy and healthy approach to living, by genuinely caring for the health and happiness of every person. I urge you to join me, as we embark on that journey together.
At the Clinic of Aesthetic Medicine and Advanced Healthcare Solutions for Women, we are strongly driven by improving the lives and overall wellbeing of all women and to actively partner with them, to operationalize and prioritize their health equity goals. The first step starts with US.
