Our Health Equity Work

Visual of a stream and text describing Upstream and Downstream Health Inequities

SCHD supports the health of all people in Scott County. Some ways that this is done include:

  1. Using the 10 Essential Public Health Services framework (APHA, 2023). This is a key guide for public health work. It aims to help all people to have a fair chance to have good health and well-being.
     
  2. Planning programs around health equity. This means that staff know about the issues that can affect people’s health, and try to plan things to help such as:
    • Taking programs out to people. Not having a ride can be a big issue. To help with this, staff offer dental screenings at preschools and HIV tests at public events. They also meet with parents and care givers when a child has high blood lead levels. Some programs can do work over the phone or internet.
    • Making sure that people’s language and health learning needs are being met. Staff give out health information that is easy to read and is in a person’s preferred language.
       
  3. Getting clients involved. Work towards health equity must involve the people that are the most at risk. Staff ask for feedback from clients. This data is used to make programs more helpful.
     
  4. Having a SCHD Health Equity group. This internal group shares health equity information with staff. They also help to promote health equity in the work that SCHD does in Scott County.
     
  5. Helping to move the health equity work upstream. Working upstream means stopping or preventing issues before they can affect people's health rather than trying to fix a health issue that already exists.  A health equity focus is key to the creation of helpful policies and laws that improve health at both the community and individual levels (Moving Health Care Upstream, 2023). For example, policies and programs that support equal access to safe and affordable housing, nutritious foods, and clean air help everyone to have access to healthier lives. See the image above for more information.

To find out even more about health equity, visit our Health Equity Resources page.

(Return to the SCHD Health Equity Home page)