Health Equity

Patient-Centered, Integrated Health Care Quality Measures Could Improve Health Literacy, Language Access, and Cultural Competence

by Jenna Ogilvie | Feb 11, 2019 | Discussion Paper, Perspectives

  ABSTRACT | The authors of this paper recommend the integration of health care quality improvement measures for health literacy, language access, and cultural competence. The paper also notes the importance of patient-centered and equity-based institutional...

Integration of Oral Health and Primary Care: Communication, Coordination and Referral

by Jenna Ogilvie | Oct 8, 2018 | Commentary, Perspectives

  ABSTRACT | This discussion paper focuses on some particularly challenging aspects of bridging primary care and oral health care for low health literacy populations. Because of the lack of physical proximity between most dental and medical practices, even in...

The Evolving Case for Public-Private Partnerships to Achieve the Global Goals

by Jenna Ogilvie | Oct 1, 2018 | Commentary, Perspectives

  Upon arriving in Kenya in 1987, I was a well-trained parasitologist who knew nothing about development, economics, political systems, or structural poverty. Kenya, however, became my classroom. The focus three decades ago was to attack one disease at a time, to...

Actions to Improve Physical Activity Surveillance in the United States

by Jenna Ogilvie | Sep 24, 2018 | Discussion Paper, Perspectives

  Background Physical activity, which has been defined as “any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure” [1], provides important health benefits across the lifespan. However, a large percentage of Americans fail to meet...

Fifth Annual DC Public Health Case Challenge

by Jenna Ogilvie | Sep 24, 2018 | Discussion Paper, Perspectives

  In 2017, the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and the Roundtable on Population Health Improvement at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the National Academies) held the fifth annual District of Columbia (DC) Public Health Case...

Access to Medical Devices in Low-Income Countries: Addressing Sustainability Challenges in Medical Device Donations

by Jenna Ogilvie | Jul 16, 2018 | Discussion Paper, Perspectives

  Introduction In eastern Uganda, a regional hospital receives a much-needed donation: an x-ray machine that appears to be in good working condition upon arrival. The hospital staff quickly puts the machine to use, only to have it fail during a procedure. With no...

Lessons Learned from Immunization Providers: Strategies for Successful Immunization Efforts among Medicare Patients

by Jenna Ogilvie | Jun 25, 2018 | Commentary, Perspectives

  Despite efforts to increase rates of immunization among Medicare patients, especially racial and ethnic minorities, these rates remain well below Healthy People 2020 targets [1]. It is not difficult to conclude that we need to learn more about how and why...

The Case for Health Literacy – Moving from Equality to Liberation

by Jenna Ogilvie | May 21, 2018 | Commentary, Perspectives

  The majority of health literacy research focuses on providing support to patients and strengthening individual health literacy skills. The work is much needed and important but places the onus or responsibility to increase health literacy solely on those who...

When Conscience Calls for Treatment: The Challenge of Reproductive Care in Religious Hospitals

by Jenna Ogilvie | Apr 30, 2018 | Commentary, Perspectives

  On January 18, 2018, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the creation of a Conscience and Religious Freedom Division within its Office of Civil Rights. The purpose of the new division is to better enforce 25 existing federal statutes...

The Interdependence of Families, Communities, and Children’s Health: Public Investments That Strengthen Families and Communities, and Promote Children’s Healthy Development and Societal Prosperity

by Laura DeStefano | Apr 9, 2018 | Discussion Paper, Perspectives

  ABSTRACT | Children’s development of cognitive, affective, and behavioral capacities is best promoted when the contexts that surround them are strong and healthy. Children are embedded in families, who are, in turn, embedded in communities. Policies or programs...