Resources & Style Guides for Framing Health Equity & Avoiding Stigmatizing Language
Links to references, other resources, and style guides to frame health equity and avoid stigmatizing language
Health Equity Guiding Principles Fact Sheet
An introduction to inclusive communication
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Please contact us with any questions or comments at HEGuidingPrinciples@cdc.gov
Accessibility
- CIDI webinarsexternal icon
Webinars and tools that provide training and awareness on COVID-19 and accessibility to all
Source: Georgia Tech Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation (CIDI)
- Accessibility @ HHSexternal icon
HHS’ role in accessibility; includes compliance checklist, Office of the Secretary Accessibility Program, and other resources
Source: HHS 508 compliance
Community Engagement
- Principles of Community Engagement
Guidance for engaging partners in projects that may affect them available in English, Spanish, and French
Source: CDC/ATSDR Principles of Community Engagement
- Community Engagement Playbook
Playbook to guide CDC/ATSDR staff, funded partners, public health professionals, and state, territorial, local, and tribal (STLT) partners through four phases and nine key activities of community engagement.
Source: CDC/ATSDR
- Build Healthy Places Networkexternal icon
National initiative to foster collaboration between the community development and health sectors to advance health equity
Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Tamarack Instituteexternal icon
Guidance for engaging and collaborating with communities
Source: Tamarack Institute
- How to Conduct a Rapid Community Engagement
A guide and tools to understand your community’s needs to inform program
Culture/Language
- National CLAS Standardsexternal icon
HHS’ Office of Minority Health national standards for culturally and linguistically appropriate services in health and health care framework for organizations to serve the nation’s increasingly diverse communities
Source: National CLAS Standards
Disability
- Communicating With and About People with Disabilities
Preferred (person-first) terms for person/people with a disability
Source: CDC/NCBDDD
- Person-First Languageexternal icon
A partial glossary of disability terms
Source: University of New Hampshire – University Center on Disability
- Get Started Tools – National Center on Disability in Public Healthexternal icon
A series of tools designed to increase the capacity of public health providers to include people with disabilities in their public health plans and efforts
Source: Association of University Centers on Disabilities
- Improving Access to Care for People with Disabilitiesexternal icon
Use this page to find tools and resources that can help you improve services and help patients understand their rights
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Community and Culture – Frequently Asked Questionsexternal icon
Some frequently asked questions that reflect the diversity of the deaf and hard of hearing community.
Disparities, Race/Ethnicity
- Talking About Disparities: The Effect of Frame Choices on Support for Race-Based Policiespdf iconexternal icon
Description of framing strategies that do and do not work to improve support for policies related to race/ethnicity
Source: FrameWorks Institute
- Racial Equity in Public Policy Message Guidepdf iconexternal icon
Health equity message guide with a focus on racial equity
Source: American Heart Association/ Voices for Healthy Kids Initiative
- Quality Improvements & Interventionsexternal icon
Resources and tools on evidence-based interventions that can contribute to reducing health disparities and lowering cost.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Racism and Health | Health Equity
CDC’s commitment to addressing racism as an obstacle to health equity
Source: CDC
- The Groundwater Approachexternal icon
Explanation about the root causes of racism and racial inequity
Source: Racial Equity Institute
Drug/Substance Abuse
- Commonly Used Terms
Definition of terms related to drug/substance use; preferred terms
Source: CDC/NCIPC
Ethical Considerations
- Public Health Code of Ethicspdf icon
Source: American Public Health Association
Health Equity
- APHA Health Equity Fact Sheetsexternal icon
APHA Health Equity Fact Sheets
Source: American Public Health Association - Behavioral Health Equityexternal icon
HHS/SAMHSA provides a number of resources about how health equity related to mental health/behavioral health
Source: HHS/SAMHSA - CDC Health Equity Guiding Principles Fact Sheetpdf icon
An introduction to Health Equity Guiding Principles for Inclusive Communication
Source: CDC
- Health Equity Technical Assistanceexternal icon
CMS OMH offers health equity technical assistance resources, aimed to help health care organizations take action against health disparities
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services - What is Health Equity? And What Difference Does a Definition Make?pdf iconexternal icon
Terms that often arise in discussions of health equity
Source: University of California San Francisco and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Health Literacy & Numeracy
- CDC Clear Communication Index
A research-based tool to help develop and assess public communication materials
Source: CDC - Health Literacy
For health communicators, public health professionals, and community leaders who seek information and tools on health literacy research, practice, and evaluation
Source: CDC - Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) Frequently Asked Questionsexternal icon
Estimates of adult competencies and proficiency levels for literacy reported in the U.S.
Source: Health Literacy: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) - PIACC Proficiency Levels for Literacyexternal icon
Description of PIAAC proficiency levels for literacy
Source: Health Literacy: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) - Guiding Principles for the Use of Terminology in Adult Literacyexternal icon
Guiding principles for use when talking about adult literacy
Source: European Literacy Policy Institute - Do No Harm Guide: Applying Equity Awareness in Data Visualizationpdf iconexternal icon
Equitable awareness in data visualizations
Source: The Urban Institute
Obesity
- Weight Bias Resourcesexternal icon
Resources for people-first language for obesity, guidelines for media portrayals of people with obesity, and an image gallery of appropriate images of people with obesity
Source: Obesity Action Coalition
Pregnancy
- Beyond Labelsexternal icon
CDC-funded project to reduce health-related stigma around health conditions or behaviors during pregnancy
Source: March of Dimes
Race & Ethnicity
- OMB standardspdf iconexternal icon
Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity
Source: Office of Management and Budget
- Keywords – Latinx/e/a/o & Hispanic Studies Library Guideexternal icon
Variations in keyword use among Hispanic, Latino, and Latina populations
Source: Tulane University Libraries
Scientific Writing
- Preferred Usage
Preferred usage for terms and group descriptions
Source: CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal - Advancing Health Equity, Eliminating Health Disparities, and Improving Population Health
Collection on health disparities and position statement on diversity, equity, and inclusion
Source: CDC Preventing Chronic Disease Journal
Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity
- Ensuring Comprehensive Care and Support for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Adolescentsexternal icon
Suggestions for pediatric providers focused on promoting health and positive development of youth identifying as transgender and gender-diverse
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
- GLAAD Media Reference Guidepdf iconexternal icon
Definition of LGBTQ terminology and terms to avoid
Source: GLAAD
- National Institute of Allery and Infectious Disease (NIAID) HIV Language Guideword iconexternal icon
This guide encourages the use of non-stigmatizing language throughout the HIV research enterprise (also available in: French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Thai.)
Source: NIH/NIAID
Similar Guidelines
- Advancing Health Equity: A Guide to Language, Narrative, and Conceptsexternal icon
AMA/AAMC guidance for physicians and other health care professionals that promotes equity-focused-person-first language and why it matters
Source: American Medical Association (AMA) Center for Health Equity, Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Center for Health Justice - Bias-Free Languageexternal icon
APA guidelines that cover many important topics, including age, disability, racial and ethnic identity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status
Source: American Psychological Association (APA)
- Inclusive language | 18F Content Guideexternal icon
Guidance for writing and talking about diverse groups of people
Source: U.S. General Services Administration
- PARC Suggested Language Listexternal icon
A tool to share information and suggestions about language usage.
Source: Prevention, Advocacy & Resource Center (PARC)external icon/ Brandeis University
Social Determinants of Health
- A New Way to Talk About the Social Determinants of Healthexternal icon
Guidance on framing the issues related to social determinants of health
Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Tribes, States, Territories, & Freely Associated States
- Use of the words Tribe and Tribalpdf iconexternal icon
Considerations for using/capitalizing the terms Tribe and Tribal
Source: American Medical Association (AMA)
- CDC’s Tribal Health website
CDC resources for tribal health
Note: The term Indian Country is defined in 18 U.S.C.external icon § 1151 external iconand 40 C.F.R. § 171.3external icon
Source: CDC - CDC Style Guide for Referring to US Territories and Freely Associated States
The terms included in the guide should be used when communicating information related to territories and freely associated states. Although they are not the only terms that apply, they reflect terms that CDC and the Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support have seen used most often in our work with these jurisdictions.
Source: CDC’s Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support
Page last reviewed: April 18, 2022
Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
