Health inequalities are defined as differences in health status between populations that are avoidable and preventable.

• A. Differences in health status between populations that are avoidable and preventable
• B. Differences in health status that are unavoidable
• C. Differences in health status caused by personal choice
• D. Differences in health status defined by genetics alone

Answer: (A)

Health inequalities focus on differences in health status between population groups that arise from social, economic, and environmental conditions and, importantly, are avoidable and preventable through policy, program changes, and improved access to resources. This means the gaps aren’t seen as fixed or due to fate; they reflect how society distributes opportunities and risks, and they can be reduced by addressing those modifiable factors—like poverty, housing, education, discrimination, and access to care. That’s why the statement using avoidable and preventable differences best captures the concept: these are disparities that public health aims to close by making society more equitable. Options that describe differences as unavoidable, due solely to personal choice, or driven purely by genetics do not align with the idea of disparities that are or could be eliminated through changes in social conditions and systems.