Beyond COVID-19: Consumers call for greater focus on health equity

The Australian public health community has long advocated for increased investment in health promotion and prevention. This has paralleled advocacy from consumer groups and has frequently included calls for a much sharper focus on health equity and action on the social, political, economic, environmental and commercial determinants of health. The recent global COVID-19 pandemic has cast a glaring spotlight on health and social inequities experienced by vulnerable and marginalised populations worldwide, particularly those living in poverty. These observations have been noted in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and elsewhere across the globe. In some instances, it has exacerbated already well-documented health inequities, such as those relating to race and ethnicity, socio-economic status, homelessness, disability and ageing. In other instances, it has created new and unforeseen inequities, particularly with respect to education and employment...