Health equity is defined as:

• A. Equal access to health services
• B. Fair and just opportunities to achieve health, with reductions in avoidable disparities
• C. Equality of health outcomes for all groups
• D. The absence of health inequities in a population

Answer: (B)

Health equity means creating fair and just opportunities for everyone to achieve their best possible health, and actively reducing avoidable disparities that arise from social determinants like income, education, housing, and discrimination. This definition fits best because it focuses on fairness in opportunity and the intentional work to close gaps that are not due to biology but to unjust differences in social conditions. Equal access to health services is important, but equity goes further by recognizing that some groups may need extra support to overcome barriers and reach the same health potential. On the other hand, expecting all health outcomes to be identical ignores varying starting points and the need for tailored interventions, and describing an ideal state as the definition misses the active, justice-oriented process of achieving fairness.