Dr. Ann Barnes, EHF’s president and CEO, recently joined an important conversation on health equity during a live taping of the KFF Health News What the Health? podcast at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin.
“When I think about health equity, it’s where folks have a just and fair opportunity to live their healthiest lives,” Barnes said. “But coupled with that, is the requirement to dismantle barriers to health. We have to remember that that is part of the equation, not just dreaming that we all have optimal health, but thinking about how we’re going to eliminate the barriers, especially for populations that are most vulnerable.”
The podcast episode was moderated by host Julie Rovner and also featured Texas State Senator Carol Alvarado and KFF Health News’ Sabriya Rice and Cara Anthony.
During the conversation, Barnes talked about her first experiences as a primary care physician and how her patients quickly taught her why non-medical factors like poverty, housing, and neighborhood conditions make up around 80% of a person’s overall health.
The panel discussed why health equity is more than just ensuring access to affordable medical care. They pointed out why systemic barriers such as historical racism, inadequate housing, and environmental hazards continue to negatively affect health outcomes for marginalized communities in many different ways.
The conversation stressed the urgent need for policies that address these long-standing inequalities and a focus on prevention, education, and access to basic resources.
