Health equity research: A political project

Abstract

In the first section of this concluding chapter we present highlights from the syntheses of research on health inequities in India and a critique of the limitations of this evidence. Health equity research in India is clearly at an early and formative stage. There is a large body of literature around the patterns of health inequities along several axes, but for this literature to mature into actionable knowledge, and result in the implementation of meaningful policies, programmes and interventions, there is still a long way to go. Section 9.2 seeks to make meaning of the evidence through an attempt to weave the various strands of explanations presented in the literature together into a coherent approach for researching health inequities. It identifies the Coleman's boat that helps organise various social mechanisms; the institutional focus and the intersectional lens as critical components to any approach that attempts to engage with the complex phenomena of health inequities in a meaningful fashion. The concept of embodiment, which makes the link between institutions and individual bodies, is an integral part of such an approach. Section 9.3 draws on this to suggest our thoughts on what needs to be done differently in health equity research, to make a tangible impact, especially on those affected the most.