Clarity on Disparity Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How

Eliminating disparities and ensuring equity must start early in the life course with an understanding of the unique considerations for child disparities related to demo-graphics, development, dependency, disease/differential epidemiology, dollars, and dissemination. To further health equity research, programs, and policies, it is critical to clarify the who, what, when/where, and why/how of disparities. Clarity on the description of the population and disparity to be addressed are the first step (who/ what). Delving deeper to understand when and where the disparity manifests and the mechanisms and processes (why/how) that underlie disparities in partnership with communities must guide intervention. Although descriptive statistics and studies of child health disparities are important for monitoring progress, it is incumbent that we systematically address the who, what, when, where, how, and why of disparities to enable more rapid and targeted action. Explicit language to address these questions, commitment to dissemination and implementation of best practices, and rooting out unfair, entrenched policies that have perpetuated structural inequities, are urgently needed to achieve health equity for children and their families.