New LGBTQ+ Health Equity Library

LGBTQ+ people belong everywhere. They deserve to live open, authentic lives without fear of discrimination, harassment, judgement, or violence. Despite decades of tireless advocacy, however, LGBTQ+ people still experience disproportionately worse health outcomes, endure ongoing discrimination, and are four times more likely to experience violence than their straight and cisgender peers. These disparities are often further compounded by isolation and a lack of access to appropriate primary and mental health care. The LGBTQ+ Health Equity Library highlights dozens of newly-curated resources and stories to advance equitable health outcomes for queer and gender-expansive individuals and the LGBTQ+ community as a whole. Get started with one of our introductory pieces or explore dozens of resources, datasets, maps, and stories on this important priority population.

New Topic: Women and Girls

Women have a long history of advocacy and accomplishments in the U.S., including shaping our constitutional rights, scientific breakthroughs, and influential activism and humanitarianism. Despite these contributions, women and girls have routinely been mistreated and excluded. Although things are improving, women in the U.S. are more likely than male peers to suffer from gender bias in healthcare, poor mental health, intimate partner violence, and other health issues. Learn more about this priority population and explore newly curated resources.

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Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S.

Many facets of health care affect how and where maternity care is provided in the U.S., including the amount and distribution of hospitals, birthing centers, and obstetric providers. Maternity care deserts exist in counties without these critical healthcare facilities and providers. With over 3.5 million births in the U.S. annually and rising rates of maternal mortality and morbidity, there is ample opportunity to improve maternal and birth outcomes, starting in these maternity care deserts. Read the report to learn more and explore the map of maternity care deserts across the country.

READ THE REPORT >

Graphic containing the words "Narrative", "Messages", "Stories", "Values", and "Worldview" on a blue background

The Power of Narrative: Bringing People Together to Advance Equity

When we need to harness collective action to solve big issues, what can we do to overcome current polarization? The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (UWPHI) is working to address this question through the Health Equity Narrative Infrastructure Project. According to thought leader Jonathan Heller, many narratives that are dominant in the United States today make it very hard to advance policy and structural changes that improve health and advance health equity. Read more and gain insights on the power of narrative to transform health and equity.

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Photo of an abandoned home in rural Appalachia

Classifying Economic Distress in Appalachian Counties

While significant progress has been made in achieving socioeconomic parity in Appalachian America, challenges such as economic transition in coal communities, the substance abuse crisis, and COVID-19 remain. This mapping tool displays information regarding economic well-being in Appalachia based on unemployment rates, per capita market income, and poverty rates. Explore the map by geographic location and economic designation, including distressed, at-risk, transitional, competitive, or attainment.

Principles for Using Public Health Data to Drive Equity

With the emergence of COVID-19 and its devastating and disparate impacts on communities, researchers and public health practitioners are recognizing their power to shift conversations about health inequities by ensuring community-level participation and voices are at the center of these discussions. Acknowledging this power, the Principles for Using Public Health Data to Drive Equity aim to ensure the integration of equity principles across the data life cycle. Read the report to learn more about this integration and creating more impactful and equitable public health data systems.

AirToxScreen Mapping Tool

Air toxics—toxic air pollutants—are usually a local issue, affecting people in neighborhoods across the country. Identifying areas impacted by air toxics emissions is critical to protect human health and the environment. Sharing the latest air toxics emissions data and risks is part of this effort, helping us give communities — especially those with environmental justice concerns — more complete information about their air quality. Explore this mapping tool and view data and risk analyses on existing and emerging air toxics issues.

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An Introduction to Health Equity: Legacies, Measurement, and Opportunities for Change

New Topic: Decolonization

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