The Paradox of Health Equity

The social determinants of health have been a long-term interest in disciplines like public health and social work. Social determinants have long been researched following a unidimensional approach involving additive models of multiple discriminations, which lack a holistic nature. Intersectionality, as a framework, defines how the social elements result in discrimination or privilege that intersect in terms of social categories and structures. An intersectional outlook to health disparity research offers a comprehensive outlook that can explain individual health outcomes as the product of multiple overlapping patterns of discrimination, privilege, and social structures. Intersectionality-informed public health research captures the intricate overlapping of multiple social determinants that result in adverse health outcomes. This chapter offers an overview of health as a universal right and how intersectionality-informed approaches can accelerate global efforts toward health equity.