Moving the needle on health inequities: principles and tactics for effective cross-sector population health networks.

Abstract

Purpose of reviewTo summarize elements of cross-sector population health networks to support systems and policy change to achieve equitable access to health services and healthy development opportunities for young children and families, allowing everyone to have a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible.Recent findingsThe principles and tactics of Equity and Inclusion, Readiness, Joint Planning, Governance, and Data can guide cross-sector networks in effectively supporting communities in addressing health inequities. These principles are not linear or siloed, but rather, they overlap and reinforce each other. The principles require equity and the participation of community members to be central in all aspects of cross-sector network work.SummaryBy building strong relationships among community partners, cross-sector population health networks can ensure the network is not a short-term, transactional one-time project, but rather, a sustained collaboration through enduring processes and infrastructure. Networks can gain a fuller understanding of the needs and assets of a community through engagement and leadership by community members than they could gather from data and surveys alone. This approach to serving a community by making members equal partners in the effort helps to place equity at the center of a network's focus, as does embedding equity-related decision-making tools and processes into daily operations of the network. If cross-sector networks build resilient, inclusive structures and procedures, they can utilize them to quickly pivot and adjust to emerging needs or respond to crisis.