[Health equity: a critical analysis of concepts].
Health inequalities have been studied mainly from an epidemiological perspective, with limited attention to conceptual issues. The terms 'equity' and 'equality' have often been used as synonyms, as have their opposites, 'inequity' and 'inequality'. The few attempts to establish their meanings have been either purely descriptive or have failed to add to an understanding of the underlying dynamics in health-disease-related phenomena. The present essay explores the semantic series that includes difference, diversity, distinction, inequality, and inequity and its relationship to health phenomena in light of Perelman's concept of equity, Bourdieu's sociology, and some arguments in Heller's theory of justice, with the aim of contributing to the development of these concepts, while discussing their implications for policymaking in health.
Vieira-da-Silva
Ligia Maria
LM
Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brasil. ligiamvs@ufba.br
Almeida Filho
Naomar de
Nd
D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D012935:Social Justice; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D009626:Terminology as Topic