Health disparities are preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations.
Health equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health.
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.
Keri Norris, PhD, JM, MPH, MCHES is The Fulton DeKalb Hospital Authority's Chief of Health Policy and Administration and leads the Community Health Awareness and Prevention Office and other key programs for the organization. Dr. Norris worked at the CDC as a health scientist, evaluator and epidemiologist. She has extensive experience in the areas of eliminating health disparities for vulnerable populations in the United States.
