Erica is a new public health nurse (PHN) in a large urban county where 40% of the children live in poverty. During Erica's home visit to a young family, the mother states that the 2- and 3-year-old children have become “slow to get things and were tripping and falling more than usual.” A year ago, the family had moved from a newer apartment building into a 70-year-old building when the husband lost his job. Erica notices paint chips on the floor and is concerned that they are from lead-based paint. She advises the mother to have her children's blood lead levels checked. The mother says she does not have health insurance and cannot afford a trip to the doctor. Erica tells the mother the paint should be replaced, but the mother is concerned that the landlord will not listen to her. Erica consults with her public health nursing supervisor about what else can be done.
ERICA'S NOTEBOOK: COMPETENCY #11 Shows Evidence of Commitment to Social Justice, the Greater Good, and the Public Health Principles
Applies principles of social justice to promote and maintain the health and well-being of populations
Understands the impact of the social determinants of health on vulnerable and at-risk populations
Advocates for the disadvantaged and underserved
Participates in collaborative social actions to reduce health disparities and inequities
Source: Henry Street Consortium, 2017
USEFUL DEFINITIONS Advocacy: Actions to ensure that individuals or populations have basic human rights and justice: “Advocacy pleads someone's cause or acts on someone's behalf, with a focus on developing the community, system, individual, or family's capacity to plead their own cause or act on their own behalf” (Minnesota Department of Health [MDH], 2001, p. 263).
Charity: Giving of oneself (volunteering) or of one's resources to those in need.
Civic Engagement: Working with community members to improve the civic life of the community through social and political actions based on an understanding of the community, its diversity, assets, and problems (Gehrke, 2008).
Ethnicity: A collective group of individuals with presumed common ancestry sharing cultural symbol and practices. Individual identification of ethnicity may be voluntary and self-defined (Ford & Harawa, 2010; Lee, 2009).
Health Disparities: Preventable, population-specific differences in health and disease (incidence and prevalence), health outcomes, or access to care that place some populations at greater risk than others and that are primarily the result of the social determinants of health.
Health Equity: “When every person has the opportunity to realize their health potential—the highest level of health possible for that person—without limits imposed by structural inequities. Health equity means achieving the conditions in which all people have the opportunity to attain their highest possible level of health” (MDH, 2014, p. 11).
Human Rights: Individual and family rights to live an independent, fulfilling, healthy life and earn a living wage for food, clothing, housing, and a safe environment; self-determination and autonomy. Human rights are rights ...