Some health promotion experts have called for approaches with increased focus on enhancing health more broadly than the risk factor approach or disease focus (3,6). The more recent focus on well-being frameworks exemplifies this (3). This does not equate to the ‘rejection’ of prevention, public health or bio-medical approaches but rather creating a balance and re-orientation to value equity, empowerment and positive SDH (3).  

A re-orientation of resources is required to ensure equity (not necessarily the same but what is needed) (6). Nurses can continue to research and advocate for models of care and health policy that are evidence-based and incorporate strategies to address the SDH (11). 

Nurses can increase our efforts in improve health equity and well-being through holistic, empowering, person centred and culturally safe practice. Nurses can utilise every contact as opportunity for health promotion (10). Nurses can use holistic tools for assessment and referral pathways for individuals and communities that incorporate broader determinants of health. 

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in its 2022 report, ‘Dangerous Inequalities’ asserts “Inequalities are blocking the end of the AIDS pandemic” (16).  Whilst low-income countries primarily experience the burden of HIV/AIDS (17), inequity still exists among vulnerable populations in high income countries (18). Globally, it is clear that if health is treated in isolation (according to a solely biomedical model), the HIV epidemic will continue to affect some groups disproportionately.