Reading this part made me think about how it connects to my own future in public health. It reminded me that giving people better healthcare isn’t enough if the environments they live in remain unsafe. For example, if a community is surrounded by air pollution, people may continue to develop breathing problems even if they have access to clinics. The WHO highlights that improving equity often means looking beyond medical care and addressing root causes like environment, housing, and income. For me, this shows that part of public health work has to include pushing for cleaner environments and fair policies, not just treating disease.

Citations:

• Gao, C., Sanchez, K. M., & Lovinsky-Desir, S. (2023). Structural and social determinants of inequitable environmental exposures in the United States. Clinics in Chest Medicine, 44(3), 451–467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccm.2023.03.002

• World Health Organization. (2023). Social determinants of health. https://www.who.int/health-topics/social-determinants-of-health

One thing that really jumped out at me while reading was the point about pollution and marginalized groups. The article pointed out that groups like American Indian, African American, and Latino populations are often placed at higher risk because of systemic racism and segregation. My ‘ah-ha’ moment was realizing that health disparities are not just about healthcare access they are tied to unfair structures that shape where people live and the air they breathe. The WHO also stresses that where people live, work, and play is just as important as the care they receive, which made this point hit even harder for me.

Citations:

• Gao, C., Sanchez, K. M., & Lovinsky-Desir, S. (2023). Structural and social determinants of inequitable environmental exposures in the United States. Clinics in Chest Medicine, 44(3), 451–467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccm.2023.03.002

• World Health Organization. (2023). Social determinants of health. https://www.who.int/health-topics/social-determinants-of-health