National Academy of Medicine 2021 Report

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National Academy of Medicine 2021 Report
Indeed, “Health is wealth,” and the National Academy of Medicine’s report emphasizes the importance of people’s health in fulfilling their roles in life and achieving success. However, everyone must receive healthcare services to achieve their maximum health to perform well. This idea is also known as health equity, and nurses play a crucial role in achieving health equity. Nurses are responsible for keeping people healthy. They must provide services to everyone, regardless of their diverse backgrounds or who they are (National Academies of Sciences, 2021). Furthermore, if there is health equity, each individual will be healthier and more successful, leading to a healthy community. Therefore, health equity is essential, and nurses can contribute much to achieving it.
Social Determinants and their Impact on Health Equity
Despite how important health is, factors still influence one’s access to health services and health outcomes, known as social determinants. Social determinants are defined by the World Health Organization as non-medical factors that impact health outcomes and produce inequities in health (World Health Organization, n.d.). Economic stability, education, social and community context, health and health care, and neighborhood and built environment are all mentioned in the report as specific social determinants that affect health equity (National Academies of Sciences, 2021). Economic stability, one of the most prevalent social determinants of health, directly affect health equity (Moore et al., 2021; National Academies of Sciences, 2021). Although economic stability is not limited to poverty alone, it is one of the reasons why people do not have access to healthcare. For instance, a low-income family cannot afford nutritious meals, resulting in malnourishment or other illnesses. And since they do not have enough money, they cannot afford to avail healthcare services when they get sick. In addition, their poverty can lead to a lack of education. And as a result of their lack of education, they will have misconceptions about healthcare, leading them to choose not to access it. Thus, it is necessary to address the social determinants of health to achieve health equity.
Nurses’ Role in Improving Health Equity and Impacting Social Needs
Nurses play an essential and growing role in achieving health equity. Their education, expertise, and skills make them key players in achieving health equity. As nurses, they must constantly improve their holistic being because the world is changing and people’s needs are increasing; additionally, there is the technology that works wonders in healthcare. Thus, their role is significant.
Nurses, in particular, are expected to identify and address the underlying causes of health disparities. This way, the nurses can provide the proper solution and achieve health equity. In addition, nu...