Health inequity in the U.S. remains severe, affecting nearly half of the population, especially racial and ethnic minority populations, marginalized populations and rural populations. While some clinical outcomes have recently improved overall, structural and economic gaps are widening, and many disparities-particularly in maternal health and life expectancy-persist at crisis levels which is a critical issue for health systems and economic stability.
The SONHP proposes a comprehensive interdisciplinary minor in health equity that is designed and developed for students across the university who seek to understand how the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship and age affect a wide range of health, functioning and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. The minor in health equity will afford students the opportunity to explore these topics through a uniquely Ignatian lens and directly supports SONHP’s mission “to improve the health of all populations through equitable and compassionate service, value-driven research, and innovative nursing and health professions education, preparing learners to use their hearts, minds, and souls to change the health of the world.”
The minor in health equity features a curriculum relevant for both direct patient/client care and non-science health-related fields. The sampling of courses prepares students for success in a variety of industries such as nursing, medicine, dentistry, clinical psychology, and public/community health, healthcare policy, advocacy and law, social work, healthcare consulting, biomedical marketing and communications, healthcare analytics, patient advocacy and healthcare administration. With an emphasis on experiential learning, social sciences, and humanities, the minor in health equity cultivates an understanding of the inextricable relationship between human health, social justice, and ethics in health promotion, disease prevention, treatment and research.
The minor in Health Equity requires a minimum of 20 credits for completion. Minors must take 2 required courses, based on their major, nursing or non-nursing, and 3 elective courses.
The Health Equity minor is currently limited to the School of Nursing and Health Professions undergraduate students.
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