Health Equity at NYU

All of these social factors, in addition to housing, environmental, educational, and geographical issues, affect the kind of health care you receive all around the world. But at NYU, we believe that health care is a basic human right. We are preparing students to become advocates for health equity, through education, research, policy work, and outreach. With these tools at our disposal, the NYU community is making good health accessible to more people every day.

Policy is one of the most effective ways to help large groups of people leverage health resources. “All people, regardless of circumstances, should have opportunities to improve and maintain their health,” says Charlotte Kahan, a Public Policy major at the College of Arts and Science. “Policymakers can make a meaningful impact on people’s lives. Crafting legislation to expand Medicaid and Medicare coverage, subsidizing nutritious foods for low-income people, and encouraging physical education programs in schools.”

An apple a day won’t always keep the doctor away, but at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, students in the food studies and nutrition and dietetics programs learn how access to healthy food along with nutrition education can be powerful weapons in the fight for health equity. “In my Community Nutrition course, we learn low-income communities are specifically targeted by marketing campaigns that portray fast food as healthy and cool,” says Supriya Sumeer Lal, a Global Public Health and Nutrition and Dietetics combined major. “We’re combating this false information with community-based nutrition education programs. We talk about ways to make nutrition part of the curricula in all schools from elementary to graduate school. Also, we discuss how to team up with policymakers to incentivize grocery stores to bring fresh produce into more neighborhoods.”

As studies like Charlotte’s and Supriya’s point out, bias and background play important roles in how people’s health is treated. That’s why Paul Abraham Roessling, a student at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study, created a concentration called the intersection of narrative and medicine. “The narratives we create about people define how we provide health care in good and bad ways,” says Paul. For example, people who are overweight are more likely to have serious symptoms dismissed as side effects of their weight. “But taking the time to actually learn someone’s story makes us better care providers,” Paul adds. “When we can see the whole picture, we can create tailored care and compassionate practices that save lives and promote the equitable distribution of medical care.”

When the disadvantaged or uninsured seek medical attention, social workers and nurses are often their first point of contact. Students at the Silver School of Social Work learn how to treat people within the context of their social, economic, and cultural background. Nursing students are taught extensively about how to develop cultural sensitivity. “To provide holistic care, health-care workers need to understand other cultures and respect their patients’ values,” says nursing student Ryan Byun. “Getting to know our populations means we can build the trust we need in order to advocate for and educate patients, making sure they have the resources and knowledge that they need to lead healthy lives.”

Throughout their fieldwork, volunteer jobs, and clinical training, social work and nursing students become well-equipped at handling any issues that come up. From helping families in subsidized housing deal with unsafe living conditions to improving the mental well-being of isolated elderly clients by connecting them with community resources and counseling, NYU students are well prepared. They may conduct community-wide health screenings as well as help people with chronic illnesses live happier, healthier lives.