Health Disparity Knowledge and Support for Intervention in Saskatoon

Background: A number of reports suggest that we need to determine public understanding about the broad determinants of health and also determine public support for actions to reduce health disparities in Canada. Methods: A cross-sectional random survey of 5,000 Saskatoon residents was used to determine knowledge about health determinants and health disparity and then determine public support for various interventions to address health disparity. Findings: Saskatoon residents understand most of the determinants of health except they understate the importance of social class and gender. Saskatoon residents do not have a good understanding of the magnitude of health disparity between income groups. A majority believe risk behaviours are mostly individual choices and are not associated with income status. Most residents believe even small differences in health status between income groups is unacceptable and a majority believe that something can be done to address health disparity by income status. Interventions proposed by residents to alleviate health disparity were evidence-based, including work-earning supplements an