Introduction to the 4 Ps of Population Health and Health Equity Research

Experts at Cincinnati Children’s have developed a “4P’s Road Map” that offers a strategic framework for conducting population health and health equity research at scale. The four-stage framework was published June 10, 2024, as a “viewpoint” article in JAMA Pediatrics. The co-authors are Andrew Beck, MD, MPH, Ndidi Unaka, MD, MEd, and Robert S. Kahn, MD, MPH.

“Despite considerable investments into our health care system and biomedical research, optimal, equitable health outcomes remain elusive,” the co-authors state. “Moreover, our health care system and basic science, clinical, and public health research alone are unlikely to achieve the outcomes we seek. We need to build population health and health equity research capabilities.”

The road map focuses on how such research capabilities can be built—discussing the well-established Cincinnati Child Health-Law Partnership (Child HeLP) as an example. This medical-legal partnership between Cincinnati Children’s primary care centers and Cincinnati’s Legal Aid Society was built to address health-related social and legal needs of low-income families, including taking actions to improve unhealthy housing conditions.

Key elements of population health and health equity research progression include a focus on shared outcomes, building multidisciplinary expertise, data integration, institutional support, and community engagement. These elements are crucial in achieving the desired health outcomes and addressing disparities in health across different populations.