How do the principles of social justice and the difference between equity and equality guide action and advocacy to reduce health inequities?
Apply the principles of social justice and the concepts of equity and equality to evaluate and advocate for actions that reduce health inequities
A focused answer to the WACE Year 12 Health Studies Unit 3 dot point on social justice, equity and advocacy. Covers the social justice principles, the difference between equity and equality, and how advocacy is used to reduce health inequities for disadvantaged groups.
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What this dot point is asking
WACE wants you to use social justice as a lens for evaluating and recommending action. A strong answer distinguishes equity from equality, applies the social justice principles to a scenario, and explains how advocacy could reduce a specific inequity. Marks reward correct use of the concepts and justified recommendations.
The principles of social justice
Equity means fairness, ensuring resources and opportunities are distributed according to need so that disadvantaged groups can reach health outcomes similar to others. Diversity means recognising and respecting differences in culture, ability, language and circumstance, and responding to them rather than treating everyone identically. Supportive environments means creating physical, social and economic surroundings that make good health possible for everyone. Participation means involving affected communities in decisions about their own health, so action reflects real needs and is more likely to be accepted and sustained.
Equity versus equality
Equality means treating everyone the same and giving each person identical resources. Equity means giving each person or group what they need to reach a fair outcome, which often means giving more to those who start with less. A single free vaccination clinic in a city centre treats everyone equally, but it is not equitable if remote communities cannot reach it. An equitable response would place services where the need is greatest. Confusing these two concepts is the most common error in this topic, so be precise: equal inputs do not guarantee equal outcomes when groups start from different positions.
How inequities arise
Inequities arise because the determinants of health are distributed unfairly. Groups facing concentrated disadvantage, such as low-income households, people in remote areas and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, experience worse access to services, less supportive environments and fewer resources. Because these conditions are socially produced, they can be changed, which is exactly what social justice demands.
Advocacy to reduce inequities
Advocacy is public action that influences decision-makers and shifts the conditions causing poor health. It can include lobbying government for policy change, running awareness campaigns, supporting community-led movements, and giving affected groups a voice in decisions. Advocacy connects directly to the Ottawa Charter strategy of advocating and to building healthy public policy. Effective advocacy targets the structural cause of an inequity, gives the affected community genuine participation, and aims for lasting change rather than a one-off fix.
How this maps to the exam
Expect a stimulus describing an unequal health situation or a proposed program. You may be asked to judge whether an action is equitable, to apply the social justice principles, or to recommend advocacy. Use the equity-versus-equality distinction explicitly and connect your recommendation to the determinants behind the inequity.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SCSA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
WACE 20226 marksUsing an example, explain the difference between equity and equality, and evaluate whether a proposed action would reduce a health inequity.Show worked answer →
A 6 mark response needs the distinction, an example, and a judgement of the action.
- Distinguish
- Equality means treating everyone the same and giving identical resources; equity means giving each group what it needs to reach a fair outcome, often more to those who start with less.
- Example
- A single free vaccination clinic in a city centre treats everyone equally, but it is not equitable if remote communities cannot reach it; an equitable response places services where need is greatest.
- Evaluate the action
- Judge the proposal against this: if it gives identical inputs to groups starting from different positions, it will not close the gap. An equitable action targets the determinants of the disadvantaged group, so it is more likely to reduce the inequity.
Markers reward an explicit equity-versus-equality distinction, a clear example, and a judgement tied to whether the action addresses unequal starting positions.
WACE 20234 marksExplain how advocacy can be used to reduce a health inequity.Show worked answer →
A 4 mark response needs a definition and a worked mechanism.
Definition. Advocacy is public action that influences decision-makers and shifts the conditions causing poor health, for example lobbying for policy change, awareness campaigns and supporting community-led movements.
Mechanism. Effective advocacy targets the structural cause of an inequity (not just the symptom), gives the affected community genuine participation, and aims for lasting change such as new healthy public policy, which reaches the disadvantaged group at scale.
Markers reward a definition and a link from advocacy to changing the structural conditions behind the inequity.