A Systems Approach to Health Equity
Explore the root causes of inequities in healthcare and everyday life. Whether you're learning on your own or with a group, this learning activity creates space for honest reflection, meaningful conversations and the possibility of action.
Estimated time to complete: 2-2.5 hours
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- What you'll get
You’ll learn how to
Recognize systems of oppression and how they create advantages for some and barriers for others
Understand how systems of oppression shape healthcare, care experiences and health equity
Reflect on how these systems show up in organizations, interactions and your own thinking
Respond to inequities with greater care, curiosity and accountability
- Topics
- Cultural Safety
- Health equity
- Patient engagement
- Audience
Community organization
Healthcare leader
Point of care provider
About A Systems Approach to Health Equity
Invisible systems of oppression surround us like water surrounds fish. We are usually unaware of those systems, but they shape our lives, our institutions and our experiences of healthcare. Using the “What’s Water?” metaphor1 which invites us to notice what surrounds us, A Systems Approach to Health Equity explores the systems that create unfair advantages for some and barriers for others in healthcare and everyday life. Naming these systems opens a path toward health equity–oriented actions.
This work draws on systems thinking and health equity scholarship, including the Water of Systems Change framework and Nixon’s Coin Model.
What’s in the learning activity
This learning activity combines short teachings with reflection activities. You'll learn, pause to think, and apply your insights through guided activities.
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Part 1:
Discover the ‘water’ the invisible systems of oppression that surround us – and understand how these systems advantage some and create barriers for others.
Part 2:
Make connections between health inequities and explore how to take action that supports more equitable, safe, high-quality care.
Why take this learning activity
This learning activity helps individuals and teams learn about the conditions that create inequities in care and identify opportunities for health equity-oriented action.
Who should enroll?
This module is intended for individuals and teams across the health and social care sector who want to deepen their understanding of health equity and explore what it means in their everyday work. It is relevant across roles and levels of experience, whether you are new to this thinking or looking to build on existing knowledge.
Those who will find this learning particularly relevant include:
Healthcare and social care providers who want to recognize and respond to the diverse needs and experiences of the people and communities they serve, and understand how the systems around them shape the care people receive
Quality, safety, and improvement professionals seeking to strengthen their work by applying an equity lens to planning, decision-making, and evaluation, and who want to understand why improvement efforts sometimes fall short for the people who need them most.
Health leaders, managers and decision-makers who want to build shared language and understanding of health equity across their teams, and who are ready to examine how policies, practices, and organizational culture can maintain or disrupt inequity.
Educators, facilitators and improvement advisors supporting learning and professional development across healthcare settings, including those who want to bring an equity-informed approach to how they design and deliver learning itself.
Researchers, policy advisors and analysts who want to understand how systems of oppression shape health outcomes and policy, and who are looking to apply an equity lens to their work.
Patient, family and caregiver partners who want to deepen shared language around health equity and contribute to improvement efforts.
Have questions about this learning activity or wish to connect with someone from HEC? Email us at Equity-equite@hec-esc.ca.
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