HEALTH EQUITY IN PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH AND PRACTICE: ADDRESSING STRUCTURAL DETERMINANTS AND POPULATION-LEVEL DISPARITIES

Abstract

Health inequities persist across global populations despite decades of public health research documenting their scope, causes, and consequences. These inequities reflect deeply embedded structural, social, economic, and political conditions that systematically disadvantage certain population groups while privileging others. This study critically examines how public health research and practice engage with health equity, with particular attention to the role of structural determinants, policy design, and health system organization. Using a mixed-methods approach that integrates secondary analysis of population health data with qualitative insights from policymakers, health system managers, and civil society actors, the study identifies persistent socioeconomic and geographic disparities in health outcomes and service coverage. Quantitative findings reveal pronounced gradients in mortality, service utilization, and financial protection, while qualitative findings highlight governance gaps, limited political commitment, and under-resourced community engagement mechanisms. The study concludes that equity-oriented public health practice requires sustained political will, intersectoral collaboration, and explicit integration of equity principles into research, policy formulation, and health system governance.