What does "health equity" aim to achieve?

Health equity seeks to achieve a fair distribution of resources and opportunities for all individuals, ensuring that everyone has the same chance to attain their full health potential regardless of their socio-economic status, ethnicity, geographic location, or other socially determined factors. It focuses on reducing health disparities by addressing the underlying social determinants of health, such as education, income, and access to healthcare services.

This concept emphasizes that good health is not merely a consequence of individual choices but is also heavily influenced by the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. By working towards health equity, public health initiatives aim to create systems that provide equal opportunities for health, enabling all members of society to lead healthier lives.

The other options do not align with the principle of health equity. Prioritizing profit for healthcare providers or promoting only individual responsibility ignores the essential context of social determinants and institutional barriers that affect health outcomes. Furthermore, eliminating healthcare services for specific populations is contrary to the very essence of promoting equity and access for all.