Health Inequities and HIV, Viral Hepatitis, TB, and STDs

Now what's different about our approach is that we recognize that these disparities are not due to individual-level behaviors or factors, but really are signs and symptoms of wider social disparities which are occurring within our society. And what are some of these social disparities I'm speaking about? Inequalities in access to health care. Inequalities in the quality of health care which is provided to various groups. We're talking about factors such as stigma, discrimination; factors such as poor educational opportunities, poor job opportunities in the United States. We're talking about factors which really are preventing individuals from taking full advantage of health and having more equitable health.

So the big change in our focus is, not only having a portfolio which is looking at individual-level interventions, so helping people to have safer behaviors, but moving upstream and ensuring that we are working on those social determinants, as well. So we are able to change the context within which effective, individual interventions take place.

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