In PT care, which statement correctly defines equity?

• A. Equality gives identical resources; Equity tailors resources to individual needs
• B. Equality tailors resources to individual needs; Equity provides identical resources
• C. Equality provides identical resources; Equity tailors resources to individual needs
• D. Equity provides resources to all patients equally

Answer: (C)

Equity in physical therapy care means allocating resources based on each patient’s unique needs and barriers so everyone has a fair chance to reach similar outcomes. Equality, on the other hand, means giving everyone the same resources regardless of their starting point. In real-world PT, simply giving identical resources to all patients can leave some underserved because their needs differ—language support, transportation, or additional therapy time, for example.

The statement that equality provides identical resources and equity tailors resources to individual needs reflects this distinction. It’s the idea that fairness isn’t about sameness of resources, but about adjusting those resources to address each person’s situation. The other notions—equality tailoring resources, or equity providing resources to all patients equally—don’t align with how equity operates in practice.