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Book Review: My Quest for Health Equity

David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D.

Reflecting on lessons learned from nearly 50 years of leadership in the world’s top public health and academic institutions, David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., shares insights into critical junctures of a life lived in service to advancing health equity in his memoir “My Quest for Health Equity: Notes on Learning While Leading.”

Throughout his career, Dr. Satcher broke many institutional barriers for people of color, becoming the first Black Director of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and Surgeon General of the United States, serving in both the Clinton and Bush administrations. During his 12-year tenure as Surgeon General and Assistant Secretary of Health, Dr. Satcher promoted and advocated for science-driven policies that sought to address racial and ethnic disparities in health access and outcomes. He has demonstrated his adeptness at working across the political spectrum to achieve important public health wins that benefit all Americans.

Dr. Satcher highlights the difficult decisions that Satcher faced in navigating complex dynamics of advancing public health policy as a political appointee. While underscoring the importance of grounding policies in evidence-based scientific research, Dr. Satcher has taken a pragmatic approach to accepting that deeply held beliefs and prejudices often get in the way of sound policy. Despite incremental progress in setting public health guidelines, he contemplates about how political maneuverings have halted the progress of health equity-focused policies regarding substance abuse, childhood obesity, reproductive health, and mental health parity.

Since leaving public service, Dr. Satcher has focused his work and influence on developing public health leadership that prioritizes addressing social determinants of health. He shares anecdotes from his work and professional life, reflecting on the reality of racial bias and discrimination in health care. Dr. Satcher advocates for cultural competency and of being aware of how culture impacts health behaviors in diverse communities. However, he also warns against the danger of stigmatizing cultures and viewing cultural differences from a deficit standpoint.

“My Quest for Health Equity” is an important read for leaders in public health, health policy and community organizations seeking to address health disparities in underserved communities. Dr. Satcher documents his experiences in leading an expansive bureaucracy, noting the importance of building coalitions, while also harnessing communication skills in order to lead with vision and empathy. The leader’s role is to lead with the mission in mind, and to create a path forward toward continuous learning.

 

Publisher : Johns Hopkins University Press; 1st edition (September 8, 2020) 

ISBN-10 : 1421438313 

ISBN-13 : 978-1421438313


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