What is the difference between health disparities and health equity?

• A. Equal outcomes for all individuals
• B. Identical access to care for everyone
• C. Universal elimination of disparities
• D. Fair opportunity to achieve optimal health

Answer: (B)

Health equity means ensuring a fair opportunity for every person to reach their best possible health, which often requires recognizing and addressing barriers linked to social factors and giving extra support to those with greater needs. Health disparities are the actual differences in health outcomes that arise from unequal access to resources, opportunities, and care among different groups. Equity is about fairness and tailoring support to remove barriers, not about everyone having identical access or about guaranteeing the same outcomes for all. It’s also not merely the aspirational goal of eliminating disparities, though that goal guides efforts. The description that best captures the difference is a fair opportunity to achieve optimal health.