The Political Determinants of Health by Daniel E. Dawes

Author:Daniel E. Dawes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press

Advocacy Action Steps

Injustice must be rooted out by strong, persistent and determined action.—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Once health equity advocates formed the National Working Group on Health Disparities and Health Reform, which ultimately included more than three hundred national organizations, associations, and coalitions committed to health equity, they immediately went to work developing and implementing a flexible advocacy strategy around communications and media, grassroots, and outreach to Congress and the Obama administration, including Tri-Caucus members. This flexible approach allowed group members to sequentially and simultaneously develop and implement certain components of the advocacy strategy depending on various existing and emerging factors.

The first step in organizing the group and ensuring better facilitation of information dissemination among group members internally was to create a master list of all organizations, associations, and coalitions committed to the inclusion of health equity provisions in health reform. Each organization was urged to specify its areas of expertise around health disparities in regard to quality improvement, behavioral health, prevention and public health, research, and workforce development.

Their second action step was to identify and recruit external champions of health equity in Congress and the administration, as well as organizations that had not yet joined the group, including health care, behavioral health, and public health experts in Washington, DC, and around the country. The intent of this action step was to get health equity included in the larger health reform discussions that were taking place around prevention and wellness, quality improvement, workforce development, insurance expansion, and comparative effectiveness research.

The third action step of the advocacy strategy was to collect and share stories about different populations that were experiencing inequities in health care and public health. One such story was that of Esmin Green, who died at a hospital after being ignored by guards and medical staff. Advocates used this story as a wake-up call to show that health care disparities are real and can have tragic consequences. The story also served to highlight the lack of compassion toward individuals with mental health problems and the need for more culturally competent health professionals. Stories such as Esmin Green’s were effective in putting a face to the somewhat abstract problem of health disparities.

The fourth action step included the initiation of a postcard and letter campaign to congressional leadership explaining the importance of addressing health disparities and urging them to support the inclusion of health equity provisions in health reform legislation.

The fifth action step involved developing health equity principles, talking points, legislative outlines, and legislative language to share with the key congressional committees charged with drafting the health reform bill.

The sixth action step by the group involved holding congressional meetings and briefings to educate members of Congress about this critical issue and to serve as a reminder that health equity advocates were persistent and adamant about the inclusion of robust provisions in health reform to address health disparities.

Overall, the convening of the National Working Group on Health Disparities and Health Reform resulted in enhanced cooperation, as well as efficient and more targeted use of resources to overcome challenges and leverage opportunities.

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