What is the goal of Healthy People 2020?

• A. To improve hospital funding and access to care.
• B. To eliminate health disparities related to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
• C. To promote universal electronic health records adoption.
• D. To reduce healthcare costs through price controls.

Answer: (B)

Healthy People 2020 centers on reducing health disparities and achieving health equity for all groups. It aims to improve the health of everyone by addressing factors that influence health outcomes—such as social and economic conditions, access to preventive services, and the environment—so that differences in health status across race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and other factors are minimized. This overarching focus on eliminating disparities—especially those tied to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status—drives the initiative. The other options describe specific aims that aren’t the primary focus of Healthy People 2020: funding and access in hospitals, universal electronic health record adoption, and reducing costs through price controls.