Health Equity, Inequality & Community Well-Being

Health Equity, Inequality & Community Well-Being

Join the Pacific Lutheran University Department of Social Work for an engaging conversation on how economic, social, and health inequalities shape the well-being of individuals and communities.

Wednesday, October 28, 2026
2:00–3:30 p.m.
AUC 203, Regency Room
Pacific Lutheran University

Access to quality healthcare is essential, but healthcare alone accounts for only a portion of what influences individual and population health. Socioeconomic conditions—including income, education, housing, employment, and public policy—play a significant role in shaping health outcomes.

This interactive lecture and discussion will explore the relationship between inequality and health, the broader social conditions that influence community well-being, and the important role health and human service professionals can play in advancing policies that support healthier communities.

Featured Speakers

John Van Buskirk, DO
Dr. Van Buskirk served on the faculty of the Tacoma Family Medicine Residency for 32 years and is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is Medical Director of the Neighborhood Clinic and a member of the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Economic Inequity and Health Task Force.

Stephen Bezruchka, MD, MPH
Dr. Bezruchka is Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Health Systems and Population Health and Global Health at the University of Washington. A physician for 35 years, he spent more than a decade working in Nepal, where he established a teaching hospital. He is the author of Born Sick in the USA: Improving the Health of a Nation and Inequality Kills Us All and founder of the Population Health Forum.

Jay Miller, MD, MPH
Dr. Miller serves as Health Officer for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. His public health experience includes serving as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and as a Regional Medical Officer for the Washington State Department of Health.

The program will include approximately one hour of interactive presentation, followed by a moderated forum and audience Q&A with all three speakers.

Members of the public, healthcare professionals, social workers, students, faculty, and community partners are warmly invited to attend.

Presented by the Pacific Lutheran University Department of Social Work.