LET’S TALK - LANGUAGE OF HEALTH EQUITY - LET’S TALK

The words we choose reflect our values, mistrust and fear of the health system.5 beliefs and implicit biases; the words we use also “Learning the language of health equity is influence how these values, beliefs and biases crucial in removing walls of mistrust and change or remain the same over time.3 In this way, building bridges of trust as a step towards language both reflects and influences how. [...] prioritize, the strategies we identify and how we Public health strategies and policies are more likely interpret information and data.5 to impact health equity when they are based on language that is respectful and reflects community- Stigmatizing and discriminatory language identified priorities.9 perpetuates and increases harm to people and communities who have been marginalized by systems of o. [...] 5 LET’S TALK: LANGUAGE OF HEALTH EQUITY PERSON-FIRST LANGUAGE “Equity-focused, person-first language seeks to center the lived experience of people and communities without reinforcing labels, objectification, stigmatization and marginalization.” 5(p7) Person-first language (see Table 2) prioritizes the the systems that have been imposed on them.18 person instead of the condition and is less likely. [...] 6 LET’S TALK: LANGUAGE OF HEALTH EQUITY SYSTEM-FOCUSED LANGUAGE ASSET-BASED LANGUAGE System-focused language (see Table 2) shifts Asset-based language (see Table 2) focuses on the the narrative from a traditional biomedical and skills, knowledge and contributions of individuals behavioral emphasis towards the broader structural and communities.21 Public health action that uses and social determina. [...] at a policy and systems level to change it.20 If the terms we use focus on individual traits and behaviour, there is misalignment with the essence of what public health is, and the path to action on health equity is less clear.