AHA Initiative to Combat Health Disparities Aligns with Sustainable Development Goals

Launch of a Centralized Resource Hub

On August 7, the American Hospital Association (AHA) launched a new digital platform titled “Reducing Disparities in Health Outcomes.” This webpage is designed to function as a central hub, providing actionable resources and strategic tools for member hospitals and health systems. The primary objective is to support healthcare providers in their efforts to transform care and achieve equitable health outcomes for all individuals.

Strategic Objectives and Contribution to Global Goals

The AHA’s initiative is strategically aligned with several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reflecting a commitment to global health and equity.

• Advancing Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3): The program directly supports the core mission of SDG 3 by equipping healthcare systems with the necessary tools to improve health outcomes for all population segments. This focus on universal access to quality care is fundamental to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.
• Tackling Health Inequalities (SDG 10): By concentrating on the reduction of health disparities, the AHA’s strategy is in direct alignment with SDG 10. The initiative provides actionable frameworks to dismantle systemic barriers and ensure equal opportunity in health services, thereby contributing to the broader goal of reducing inequalities.
• Fostering Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17): The webpage functions as a collaborative platform, embodying the spirit of SDG 17. It facilitates vital partnerships among hospitals and health systems, enabling the sharing of knowledge and best practices to create a collective and sustainable impact on health equity.

Components of the Resource Hub

The platform offers a comprehensive suite of resources structured to guide healthcare organizations on their journey toward health equity.

1. Actionable Resources: Tools and materials designed for immediate implementation by healthcare providers to address disparities at the point of care.
2. Strategic Frameworks: Guidance for hospitals and health systems to integrate health equity into their core operational and clinical strategies.
3. Best Practices: A curated collection of successful case studies and proven methodologies for transforming care delivery and improving community health.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses an initiative by the American Hospital Association (AHA) to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes. This directly connects to the following Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  This goal aims to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” The article’s central theme of “improving health outcomes for all” and assisting hospitals to “transform care” is a core component of SDG 3.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  This goal focuses on reducing inequality within and among countries. The initiative’s specific title, “Reducing Disparities in Health Outcomes,” and its strategy to “address health disparities” directly align with the objective of reducing inequalities, particularly in access to and outcomes of healthcare.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  This goal encourages partnerships to achieve the SDGs. The article describes the AHA, an organization, creating a “hub for actionable resources and tools” to assist other entities (“hospitals and health systems”). This represents a multi-stakeholder partnership sharing knowledge and resources to achieve a common goal.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s focus, the following specific targets can be identified:

1. Target 3.8 (under SDG 3)

   “Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services…” The initiative to “improve health outcomes for all” and “transform care” directly supports the goal of providing access to quality essential healthcare services.

2. Target 10.2 (under SDG 10)

   “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.” By aiming to reduce health disparities, the initiative works to ensure that factors like race or economic status do not prevent individuals from achieving good health, thereby promoting social inclusion in health.

3. Target 10.3 (under SDG 10)

   “Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome…” The program’s name, “Reducing Disparities in Health Outcomes,” is a direct reflection of this target, as it aims to lessen the differences in health results among various population groups.

4. Target 17.16 (under SDG 17)

   “Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources…” The AHA’s webpage, which serves as a “hub for actionable resources and tools,” is an example of a partnership that mobilizes and shares knowledge to support other organizations (hospitals) in achieving sustainable development objectives.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not mention explicit, quantitative indicators. However, it implies the following indicators for measuring progress:

• Implied Indicator for SDG 3 & 10:

  The phrase “Reducing Disparities in Health Outcomes” implies the need for an indicator that measures the gap in health outcomes between different demographic groups. Progress would be measured by a quantifiable reduction in this gap over time (e.g., differences in life expectancy, disease prevalence, or mortality rates across racial or socioeconomic groups).

• Implied Indicator for SDG 17:

  The launch of a “webpage, featuring new and familiar resources” and a “hub for actionable resources and tools” implies an indicator related to the partnership’s effectiveness. Progress could be measured by the number of hospitals and health systems accessing and utilizing the provided resources to implement changes in their care delivery.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: aha.org