Pediatric health professionals' perceptions of social health inequalities and proportionate universalism in a French academic hospital: a qualitative study.

Abstract

We still need to develop solutions to tackle those inequalities at every level of the healthcare system, and healthcare professionals must be more actively involved in this effort. One approach is to adapt public health principles such as proportionate universalism to individual care. • Social health inequalities exist in pediatric care and a social gradient has been shown in many clinical situations. • Exploring health professionals' perceptions of social health inequalities can lead to solutions to tackle them. • Pediatricians and pediatric nurses were not fully aware of the social gradient of health. • Although they claimed not to differentiate between patients in their practice, healthcare professionals did adapt care when complicated social situations arose.