public health Archives | Research & Innovation /research/tag/public-health/ Wed, 29 Jan 2025 19:47:49 +0000 en-CA hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 NSERC awards 91亚色 research centres $3.3 million /research/2011/06/02/nserc-awards-york-research-centres-3-3-million-2/ Thu, 02 Jun 2011 08:00:00 +0000 /researchdev/2011/06/02/nserc-awards-york-research-centres-3-3-million-2/ Programs in vision research and atmospheric chemistry and physics will provide enhanced research and training for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows If you鈥檙e working in 3D film or aerospace engineering, what impact do the latest developments in brain and vision research have on your industry鈥檚 practices? What if you鈥檙e drafting government policy on air quality […]

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Programs in vision research and atmospheric chemistry and physics will provide enhanced research and training for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows

If you鈥檙e working in 3D film or aerospace engineering, what impact do the latest developments in brain and vision research have on your industry鈥檚 practices? What if you鈥檙e drafting government policy on air quality control and need expertise in how the latest atmospheric chemistry and physics findings translate into plans and policy?

Graduate students and post-doctoral fellows at 91亚色 have new options to pursue the research and applied dimensions of these and other questions, thanks to $3.3 million in funding from the (NSERC).

httpv://youtu.be/OtRWua59EPU

The funding, provided through NSERC鈥檚 $29.6聽million investment over six years in the Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) Grants program, will support two new training programs in the Faculty of Science & Engineering, each valued at $1.65 million over the period.

Professor Hugh Wilson

Students and fellows enrolled in each program will gain experience in basic and applied research, along with the practical and professional skills needed to successfully transition to research careers in the academic, industry or government sectors.

Professor Hugh Wilson in the Faculty of Science & Engineering鈥檚 Department of Biology will lead the Vision Science and Applications program. Based in the internationally-recognized (CVR), the program focuses on vision-based information technologies that require optimal information displays to ensure accurate human interpretation of data are playing an increasingly important role in many economic sectors.

Key applications include:

  • 3D digital media (e.g., 3D film, geographical databases, autocad systems)
  • Aerospace (e.g., cockpit technologies, search-and-rescue)
  • Face and scene analysis technologies (e.g., facial biometrics)
  • Visual health and assessment technologies (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), perimetry)

The Vision Science and Applications team includes 25 researchers at seven international universities and 10 partner organizations, including , the and . At 91亚色, a total of 10 professors affiliated with CVR will lend their expertise to the project. The program will enrol four students in its first year and 16 students in each successive year.

Professor Jochen Rudolph

Professors and in the Faculty of Science & Engineering鈥檚 Department of Chemistry will lead the Training Program for Integrating Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics from Earth to Space (IACPES) program. Jointly based in 91亚色鈥檚 (CAC) and the Centre for Research in Earth & Space Science (CRESS), the program鈥檚 interdisciplinary focus will give students an integrated understanding of atmospheric chemistry and physics from earth into space.

Key applications include:

  • measuring and modelling atmospheric change
  • examining air quality and health issues
  • monitoring changes in the arctic atmosphere
  • detecting sources of greenhouse gases
  • measuring Earth鈥檚 changing atmosphere from space
  • exploring and understanding other planets鈥 atmospheres
  • developing the policy implications of atmospheric science

The IACPES team includes 11 applicants at six universities and 23 collaborators at 10 partner organizations, including , the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, the (NOAA) in Boulder, Colo., several industries and two premier research institutes in Germany.聽The program will create 21 places for undergraduate students, master鈥檚 students, PhD students and postdoctoral fellows in its first year, with over 200 places created over the successive five years.

httpv://youtu.be/6YlFv0Xd9no

Professor Robert McLaren

鈥淏y securing two of only 18 projects awarded to universities across Canada, 91亚色 builds on its strong track record in leading large-scale, interdisciplinary collaborative research projects,鈥 said Stan Shapson, vice-president research & innovation. 鈥The programs will provide our innovative research centres 鈥 CVR, CRESS and CAC聽鈥 with a competitive advantage in attracting excellent graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who wish to pursue careers in the applications of vision science or atmospheric chemistry and physics. NSERC鈥檚 CREATE program strengthens the role of universities in training the highly-qualified people needed in today鈥檚 scientific knowledge economy.鈥

鈥淣SERC鈥檚 CREATE Program helps graduating students become highly sought-after professional researchers in the natural sciences and engineering, both in Canada and abroad,鈥 said Suzanne聽Fortier, president of NSERC. 鈥淭he program not only helps improve the skill set of Canada鈥檚 next-generation of research talent, but it also helps to support their retention in the workforce.鈥

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer

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Professor Peter Victor appointed to lead Ontario鈥檚 Greenbelt Council /research/2011/06/01/professor-peter-victor-appointed-to-lead-ontarios-greenbelt-council-2/ Wed, 01 Jun 2011 08:00:00 +0000 /researchdev/2011/06/01/professor-peter-victor-appointed-to-lead-ontarios-greenbelt-council-2/ 91亚色 Professor Peter A. Victor has been appointed chair of Ontario鈥檚 Greenbelt Council, which makes recommendations for the protection of more than 1.8 million acres of agricultural and environmentally sensitive land in the Greater Golden Horseshoe. 鈥淒r. Victor brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and insight to the Greenbelt Council,鈥 said Minister of Municipal […]

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91亚色 Professor Peter A. Victor has been appointed chair of Ontario鈥檚 , which makes recommendations for the protection of more than 1.8 million acres of agricultural and environmentally sensitive land in the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

鈥淒r. Victor brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and insight to the Greenbelt Council,鈥 said Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rick Bartolucci, who announced Victor鈥檚 appointment Tuesday. 鈥淚 look forward to working with Dr. Victor and Council as they provide advice on the ongoing implementation of the Greenbelt.鈥

A professor in the Faculty of Environmental Studies at 91亚色, Victor is an economist who has worked on environmental issues for 40 years as an academic, public servant and consultant. He was Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Studies from 1996 to 2001, following several years as an assistant deputy minister in Ontario鈥檚 Ministry of the Environment. Prior to that he worked in the private sector, where he undertook many policy-related economic studies in Canada and abroad.

鈥淚 look forward to working with the Council as we consider and make recommendations to the Minister,鈥 said Victor. 鈥淲e have come to understand economies as subsystems of the biosphere and realize that a healthy environment and a strong economy go hand in hand.鈥

Victor continues to provide public, private and non-governmental organizations with technical advice on air pollution and health, emissions trading, emerging issues and full cost accounting at national and corporate levels. He is author of .

By Janice Walls, media relations coordinator.

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Upcoming Health and Environment Forum in Sarnia to focus on First Nations youth /research/2011/02/01/upcoming-health-and-environment-forum-in-sarnia-to-focus-on-first-nations-youth-2/ Tue, 01 Feb 2011 10:00:00 +0000 /researchdev/2011/02/01/upcoming-health-and-environment-forum-in-sarnia-to-focus-on-first-nations-youth-2/ Organizers of an upcoming environmental forum are hoping to engage First Nations youth, wrote The Sarnia Observer Jan. 30: The event, hosted by the Aamjiwnaang First Nations Health and Environment Committee, in partnership with 91亚色, is a follow-up to a 2008 health symposium held in Sarnia to share research findings with members of the […]

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Organizers of an upcoming environmental forum are hoping to engage First Nations youth, wrote :

The event, hosted by the Aamjiwnaang First Nations Health and Environment Committee, in partnership with 91亚色, is a follow-up to a 2008 health symposium held in Sarnia to share research findings with members of the scientific community, environmental groups, the media and government.

鈥淭he idea came about a year ago after [Aamjiwnaang community member] Ada Lockridge mentioned the idea of doing a follow up symposium,鈥 said Sarah Wiebe, project coordinator for the Community Forum on Pollution and Action, and research assistant to , environmental law professor at 91亚色鈥檚 Osgoode Hall Law School [and executive director of the ], who has worked closely with Lockridge and the Aamjiwnaang community to investigate the links between pollution and health.

. . .

The one-day forum will include a series of workshops exploring the relationship between the Aamjiwnaang First Nation and Sarnia's Chemical Valley, to deliver "collective and creative legal education," said Wiebe.

Participants will be invited to familiarize themselves with using the Environmental Registry and accessing PollutionWatch data. A session will also be held exploring how money collected from environmental offences is distributed to affected communities.

"We're trying to look at legal remedies, so when fines are charged to local facilities, one option could be to reallocate that money to those who maybe have a health concern," said Wiebe. "We also want people to have a better understanding of how to provide input when new facilities and projects come up."

Another component of the forum, "Raising Voices," will invite area youth to share their thoughts and concerns on the environment, including a group of First Nations youth who have been working on an ongoing photography assignment since the summer.

"We've asked them to document the good, bad and the ugly in their context; what gives them hope and what gives them concern," said Wiebe. "We're planning to showcase some of their images."

Community members will also receive an update on the ongoing Lambton Community Health Study, as well as updates from researchers investigating cancer, child development and endocrine disruption on the reserve.

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of YFile鈥 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin

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Professor, Canada Research Chair, and mathematician Jianhong Wu wins 2010 Award of Merit /research/2010/12/06/professor-canada-research-chair-and-mathematician-jianhong-wu-wins-2010-award-of-merit-2/ Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:00:00 +0000 /researchdev/2010/12/06/professor-canada-research-chair-and-mathematician-jianhong-wu-wins-2010-award-of-merit-2/ What do math and the flu epidemic have in common? Just ask 91亚色 Department of Mathematics & Statistics Professor Jianhong Wu, who studies disease progression and infection using math. Wu, a Canada Research Chair in Industrial and Applied Mathematics, is leading two prominent Canadian teams on modelling and geo-stimulation of disease spread, and coordinates a […]

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What do math and the flu epidemic have in common? Just ask 91亚色 Department of Mathematics & Statistics Professor Jianhong Wu, who studies disease progression and infection using math.

Wu, a , is leading two prominent Canadian teams on modelling and geo-stimulation of disease spread, and coordinates a number of academic-industrial collaborations in data mining, neuronal networks and pattern recognition. He is also the Canadian leader of a Canada-China collaboration in disease management and modelling, funded by the International Development Research Centre and Canada Research Chair program.

Right: Jianhong Wu accepts his Award of Merit

Recently, Wu was awarded the Federation of Chinese Canadian Professionals (Ontario) Education Foundation鈥檚 2010 Award of Merit for his expertise in the field of mathematical biology and epidemiology, during a ceremony and reception in Toronto. In the federation鈥檚 citation it was noted that Wu is recognized in Canada and internationally for his interdisciplinary research in modelling disease transmission.

鈥淚 feel deeply honored and humbled by the award,鈥 says Wu. 鈥淚 am very pleased that 91亚色's support for interdisciplinary research and outreach is also recognized by the federation that has been promoting interdisciplinary studies among the various professions.鈥

What makes Wu distinct in his field is his ability to make novel contributions and integrate industrial application and applied mathematics to his research repertoire, and significantly contribute to both pure and applied mathematics.

Left: Jianhong Wu

He is most known for his contributions to the field of disease modelling, where his work has made a permanent and positive impact on human health. During the 2003 SARS outbreak, he established and led a national team of聽more than聽20 scientists from governmental agencies and medical and mathematical sciences to model the transmission dynamics and spread of infectious disease (see YFile, Dec. 9, 2003). The research conducted by Wu and his team led to the development of prediction and intervention strategies, which impacts directly on preparedness measures for an influenza pandemic.

His work has influenced various public health policies and has become the benchmark for researchers in the pandemic area and beyond.

Among his accomplishments, Wu is founding, and has co-authored 17 books and聽more than聽280 articles in both pure mathematics and mathematical applications. He is the recipient of various honours, including the Humboldt Research Fellowship (Germany), Paul Erdos Visiting Professorship (Hungry), Cheung Kong Visiting Professorship (China) and New Pioneer Science & Technology Award (Skills for Change). He is an executive member of the 91亚色 Institute for Health Research.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Work for a municipality? Professor Norman Yan's study has a better way to battle mosquitoes /research/2010/06/29/york-study-finds-a-better-way-to-battle-mosquitoes-2/ Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:00:00 +0000 /researchdev/2010/06/29/york-study-finds-a-better-way-to-battle-mosquitoes-2/ Protecting ourselves from backyard mosquito bites may come down to leaving the vacuuming for later, a study from 91亚色 shows. Rather than vacuuming the grass clippings out of catch basins before adding treatments to control mosquitoes, municipalities should leave the organic waste in place, the research found. 鈥淐atch basins are a permanent source of […]

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Protecting ourselves from backyard mosquito bites may come down to leaving the vacuuming for later, a study from 91亚色 shows.

Rather than vacuuming the grass clippings out of catch basins before adding treatments to control mosquitoes, municipalities should leave the organic waste in place, the research found.

鈥淐atch basins are a permanent source of mosquitoes on every street. By putting in cleaned catch basins we saw an average of 20 per cent of the mosquito larvae make it to the adult stage over the duration of the study. But that number was reduced to less than 3 per cent just by leaving the organic debris in the catch basins until the fall, when mosquito season is over,鈥 says Norman Yan, a professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Department of Biology.

Above: An electron micrograph of the West Nile virus. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Yan and former 91亚色 master鈥檚 student Stacey Baker (MSc 鈥08) co-authored a study published in the current issue of the Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association. They were surprised by the results of the research, conducted by Baker in 2005 on residential streets in the Greater Toronto Area.

鈥淲e predicted that S-methoprene would work better in the catch basins that had been cleaned. We found the opposite 鈥 that S-methoprene binds to organic material, which holds it in the catch basins longer so that mosquito larvae are exposed to it for longer,鈥 says Baker.

The research may have implications not only for our comfort levels, but for disease control, says Yan. The rate and the number of positive mosquito pools have been lower in the past two years in Ontario, but it remains a problem in some areas of the United States, and warmer temperatures and a wet season could increase the risk in Ontario. The West Nile virus is not carried by all mosquitoes but it can lead to severe symptoms and even death.

Public health units in Ontario determine if and when they will larvicide based on their surveillance of the level of risk. S-methoprene, which is used in Canada only for control of West Nile virus, is still being used in hundreds of thousands of catch basins in the GTA, but there has been no thought given to the cleaning schedule, according to the study authors. The study demonstrates that scheduling both the application of S-methoprene and the removal of debris makes sense, they said, and it may be worthwhile to clean the catch basins every two years instead of annually.

鈥淎ccumulated Organic Debris in Catch Basins Improves the Efficacy of S-methoprene Against Mosquitoes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada鈥 appears in the .

91亚色鈥檚 , which seeks to maximize the impact of academic research on public policy and professional practice, has sent a summary of the research findings to Ontario鈥檚 public health units.

By Janice Walls, media relations officer. Republished courtesy of YFile鈥 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Premier's visit to 91亚色 attracts media coverage /research/2010/05/13/premiers-visit-to-york-university-attracts-media-coverage-2/ Thu, 13 May 2010 08:00:00 +0000 /researchdev/2010/05/13/premiers-visit-to-york-university-attracts-media-coverage-2/ Premier Dalton McGuinty's visit to 91亚色's School of Nursing was covered in the North 91亚色 Mirror May 11: To kick-start National Nursing Week and highlight the province鈥檚 announcement to introduce another 14 nurse practitioner-led clinics in Ontario, Premier Dalton McGuinty dropped in on a group of nursing students at 91亚色 Monday, May 10. […]

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Premier was covered in the North 91亚色 Mirror May 11:

To kick-start National Nursing Week and highlight the province鈥檚 announcement to introduce another 14 nurse practitioner-led clinics in Ontario, Premier Dalton McGuinty dropped in on a group of nursing students at 91亚色 Monday, May 10.

In a room set up like a hospital or clinic, McGuinty went from bed to bed chatting with students practising different medical procedures before sitting down for a round-table discussion with undergraduate nursing students and graduate students in the nurse practitioner program.

The government announced Monday it is accepting applications to create 14 more nurse practitioner-led clinics, with a goal of having 25 such clinics by 2012. The first 11 clinics are scheduled to begin opening this month.

Meanwhile, students shared their stories about why they are studying nursing.

鈥淣ursing chose me,鈥 said Crystal Van Leeuwen, who decided on her career while holding a girl infected with HIV during a trip to a Thailand clinic.

Deana Ruddell-Thomson said she was a retail manager in Walkerton when the tainted water tragedy struck a decade ago. 鈥淚 felt helpless watching friends and family becoming ill and I didn鈥檛 have any power,鈥 she said.

Thomas McCormick said he will be working on a placement in Toronto before heading to northern Ontario to help more remote communities.

Several international students told McGuinty how thrilled they were to be able to study nursing in Ontario. The premier told the students that they have chosen an important career.

The complete article is .

The School of Nursing鈥檚 faculty members are involved in innovative and leading-edge research, and have established national and international reputations in their areas of expertise. Faculty members鈥 programs of research and scholarly activities contribute to better understanding of current and challenging health and nursing phenomena.

Faculty members鈥 scholarly activities encompass a range of areas (including, but not limited to, community health, environmental health, global health, health policy, homeless populations, immigrant health, mental health, women鈥檚 health) and cross the life span (children, youth, adults, and older adults), using diverse theoretical and methodological approaches.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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New diabetes study on Type 2 diabetes, high-risk populations and fitness enters second phase /research/2010/05/04/new-diabetes-study-on-type-2-diabetes-high-risk-populations-and-fitness-enters-second-phase-2/ Tue, 04 May 2010 08:00:00 +0000 /researchdev/2010/05/04/new-diabetes-study-on-type-2-diabetes-high-risk-populations-and-fitness-enters-second-phase-2/ Could screening high-risk populations for pre-diabetes and setting them up with culturally preferred fitness regimes prevent聽people from developing Type 2 diabetes and the secondary complications of heart and kidney disease, blindness and stroke? That鈥檚 what several 91亚色 researchers are hoping to find out. If successful, their Pre-Diabetes Detection and Physical Activity Intervention Delivery (PRE-PAID) Program […]

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Could screening high-risk populations for pre-diabetes and setting them up with culturally preferred fitness regimes prevent聽people from developing Type 2 diabetes and the secondary complications of heart and kidney disease, blindness and stroke?

That鈥檚 what several 91亚色 researchers are hoping to find out. If successful, their Pre-Diabetes Detection and Physical Activity Intervention Delivery (PRE-PAID) Program could become the model for provincewide intervention.

91亚色 Professors Michael Riddell, Norman Gledhill, Veronica Jamnik, Chris Ardern, Jennifer Kuk and Paul Ritvo in the School of Kinesiology & Health Science鈥檚 Physical Activity & Chronic Disease Unit in the Faculty of Health, along with 91亚色聽PhD candidate Chip Rowan, PRE-PAID project coordinator, are now deep into Phase聽2 of their study and so far the results are promising. They have found there is an overwhelming need for programs such as PRE-PAID, as a high percentage of the participants tested already had pre-diabetes. In addition, there is a real lack of close and聽affordable fitness programs.

Right: From left, Michael Riddell, Veronica Jamnik, Chip Rowan and 91亚色 students and certified exercise physiologists Ajay Rampersad and Thomas Bok

The聽researchers also found that to reach people in high-risk areas聽they need to tap into existing social networks and聽make community contacts, as traditional media campaigns are not that helpful. With community engagement, they were able to increase their visibility and build partnerships to fight diabetes.

The goal of the PRE-PAID program is to identify those individuals from the highest risk populations, including Chinese, South Asian, African and African-Caribbean, who have pre-diabetes, and to provide them with targeted, accessible and monitored fitness programs, and hopefully prevent them from developing Type 2 diabetes.

It could save lives and millions of health-care dollars. Health-care costs for the treatment of persons with diabetes in Canada amounts to聽$9 billion annually. In recognition of this burden, the Ontario Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care has made the treatment and management of diabetes a priority.

鈥淭he costs are聽anywhere between聽$2,000 and $15,000聽a year per person with diabetes in direct and indirect costs, but if we can get that down to around $200 a year in investment for those with pre-diabetes to prevent the disease, that would save a lot. Not only that, but we can probably prevent six cases out of 10,鈥 says Riddell. 鈥淲e have to show this model will work and will save money in the long run over the health-care costs caused by the complications of diabetes. If we invest now in treating pre-diabetes, it will cost less in the future.鈥

Left: A participant undergoes a聽finger prick blood test to check sugar levels

The PRE-PAID Program has screened some 428 people, aged 35 to 64, from the communities of 91亚色, Jane and Finch, Malvern in Scarborough,聽and Agincourt for high risk, and are looking for more participants. A further 350 were given a finger-prick blood test, which measures the amount of sugar coating on red blood cells as a measure of average blood sugar control over the last three months. Of these, 238 were found to be pre-diabetic 鈥 all of whom were previously undiagnosed.

Right now, there is no outreach screening or treatment program in the province for people with pre-diabetes. This study, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and the Ontario Trillium Foundation, is an important step toward changing that, say Riddell and Rowan.

Through community partnerships, all of those screened through the PRE-PAID Program with pre-diabetes are being given educational training on diabetes prevention and are聽provided with accessible and culturally preferred exercise sessions for six months.

Right:聽PRE-PAID participants聽in a聽bollyfit class

鈥淭he advantage of having the study at 91亚色 is they can use the students from the School of Kinesiology to hold the classes and many of them are of the same ethnicity as the participants, so we鈥檙e breaking down some of the cultural and language barriers,鈥 says Rowan. 鈥淏ecause we are so multicultural here, that really works.鈥

So instead of expecting study participants to join a gym and run on the treadmill for half an hour a day, the project聽offers things like bollyfit, socasize, reggaerobics, line dancing and tai chi in easily accessible community centres with certified exercise physiologists, for free. The participants are also asked to incorporate walking into their weekly routine.

Through the PRE-PAID Program, participants who have been identified as pre-diabetic are 鈥減rovided with the opportunity and the encouragement. Then we track them to see how they comply,鈥 says Rowan. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 going to be sustainable, they really have to make that decision and that commitment.鈥 The participants are assessed at the beginning, at three months and again at six months.

Some of the factors that stand in the way of participating in fitness programs are cost, time and priorities. 鈥淧eople are busy and have other pressing priorities, priorities we can鈥檛 even imagine,鈥 says Riddell. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to alleviate some of these barriers.鈥

By looking at studies done in the United States, India and China, 鈥渨e know that by doing 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week, about 30 minutes a day, five days a week, we can lower the risk of developing diabetes from a state of pre-diabetes by about 50 per cent,鈥 says Riddell. 鈥淲hat is novel about this approach is we want to give them physical exercise that taps into culturally preferred activities. This is the first study I鈥檓 aware of that has done that.鈥

The incidence of pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes continues to rise in Canada. It is estimated that about seven per cent (two million) of Canadians have diabetes with about half of them undiagnosed, while another five to seven per cent have pre-diabetes.

鈥淎ll the research has shown that exercise is the most effective preventative tool, even independent of dietary change,鈥 says Riddell. So it makes sense that people at the highest risk of becoming pre-diabetic would be caught early on.

The researchers are currently seeking funding for Phase聽3 of the project. In Phase聽3, the team will recruit an additional 500 to 1,000 subjects and will extend the eligible age range to 18 to 64, as recent findings have shown there is an increasing incidence of diabetes in young people.

The group is presenting some of their preliminary results at the International Congress聽on Physical Activity & Public Health, May 5 to 8 in Toronto.

For more information, visit the Diabetes Prevention Program Web site or contact Chip Rowan at 647-378-6777 or stopdiab@yorku.ca. For more information about diabetes, visit the Web site.

By Sandra McLean, YFile writer

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Researchers' report details how living conditions determine health of Canadians /research/2010/04/29/researchers-report-explains-how-living-conditions-determine-health-of-canadians-2/ Thu, 29 Apr 2010 08:00:00 +0000 /researchdev/2010/04/29/researchers-report-explains-how-living-conditions-determine-health-of-canadians-2/ A report released yesterday by 91亚色 researchers offers Canadians the opportunity to learn how their living conditions will determine whether they stay healthy or become ill. Social Determinants of Health: The Canadian Facts shows why these factors are so important for health and documents the state of living conditions in Canada in an accessible […]

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A report released yesterday by 91亚色 researchers offers Canadians the opportunity to learn how their living conditions will determine whether they stay healthy or become ill.

shows why these factors are so important for health and documents the state of living conditions in Canada in an accessible manner for the Canadian public. The report finds these conditions are deteriorating, with serious ramifications for the quality and longevity of Canadians' lives, and outlines specific ways that the situation can be improved. The report is free to the public to read or download. Printed copies are also available to .

"Our key message is that the health of Canadians is much less determined by the health-care system than we typically think. Much more important are public policies that influence our living conditions," says Dennis Raphael, a professor in 91亚色's School of Health Policy & Management in the Faculty of Health and the report's co-author.

Raphael and Juha Mikkonen, a visiting scholar at 91亚色, explain in everyday language and with compelling graphics how Canadians' health is shaped by how much income and wealth they have, whether or not they are employed and, if so, the working conditions they experience. They pull together a wide range of research to show how health is powerfully influenced by Canadians' ability to obtain quality education, food and housing, among other factors.

Contrary to the popular belief that Canada is a caring nation with strong supports for its citizens, the report shows that Canada has one of the worst records among wealthy, developed nations in providing its citizens with the conditions necessary for health. These supports are eroding with significant effects on Canadians' health, says Raphael.

Left: Dennis Raphael

"This is not a storyline that's familiar to most Canadians. We're still stuck in those glory days where Canada really was one of the best places in the world to live. Sadly, that is no longer the case. What's frightening is that many of these aspects are completely beyond any one individual's control."

For example, new immigrants have difficulty getting accreditation for their skills, and are forced into service jobs where they can barely afford to feed their families. This leads to a host of problems that directly affect health and overall quality of life. "It's all interrelated. It's time to act on these issues," Raphael says.

Another striking example is found in maps that show a clear correspondence between poverty levels, prevalence of adult-onset diabetes and concentration of visible minorities in Toronto neighbourhoods.

Right: Juha Mikkonen

The report was inspired by the 2003 World Health Organization document Social Determinants of Health: The Solid Facts. Raphael hopes it will also spur the public into action. "It really is oriented toward building a social movement," he says.

The report provides concrete recommendations for improving the situation. For example, with regard to the increasing occurrence of hunger in Canada, it recommends increasing minimum wages and social assistance rates to the level where an adequate diet is affordable and that government assure healthy foods, such as milk, fruit and foods high in fibre, are affordable. It also recommends there be a provision of affordable housing and child care that would reduce other family expenses and leave more money for acquiring an adequate diet.

Sobering statistics cited by the report include:

  • 15 per cent of Canadian children are living in poverty, putting Canada at a rank of 20th out of 30 of the world's wealthiest nations as defined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
  • Only 17 per cent of Canadian families have access to regulated child care. Canada ranked last among 25 wealthy, developed nations in meeting various early childhood development objectives.
  • Canada is amongst the lowest in its coverage of total health-care costs. Medicare covers only 70 per cent of total health-care costs, giving Canada a rank of 22nd of 30 OECD nations for public coverage of health-care costs.
  • Canada is among the nations with the greatest gap between men's and women's earnings. Canada ranks 19th of 22 OECD nations in reducing the earnings gap between men and women.
  • Over 40 per cent of Canadians with disabilities are not in the labour force, forcing many of them to rely upon social assistance benefits. Canada ranks 27th of 29 in public spending on disability-related issues.

Raphael, who teaches in 91亚色's Faculty of Health, has researched and written widely on these issues. His recent publications include , , and Health Promotion and Quality of Life in Canada: Essential Readings.

Mikkonen is a vice-president of the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) Finland and a member of the executive committee of the EAPN. He has held positions in decision-making bodies at the University of Helsinki, the Finnish Student Health Services and the Finnish Youth Co-operation Allianssi, an umbrella organization for more than 100 Finnish youth non-governmental organizations.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Health Policy & Management professors address health, health care and illness prevention in Canada & US /research/2010/04/21/health-policy-management-professors-address-health-health-care-and-illness-prevention-in-canada-and-us-collection-2/ Wed, 21 Apr 2010 08:00:00 +0000 /researchdev/2010/04/21/health-policy-management-professors-address-health-health-care-and-illness-prevention-in-canada-and-us-collection-2/ Four years after it was first published, a second edition of the book Staying Alive: Critical Perspectives on Health, Illness, and Health Care has just been published, providing a fresh perspective on health, health care and illness. Co-edited by 91亚色 School of Health Policy聽& Management Professors Dennis Raphael and Marcia Rioux, along with University of […]

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Four years after it was first published, a second edition of the book has just been published, providing a fresh perspective on health, health care and illness.

Co-edited by 91亚色 School of Health Policy聽& Management Professors and , along with University of Toronto health studies Professor Toba Bryant, the second edition of Staying Alive (Canadian Scholars鈥 Press Inc.) has been thoroughly updated.

It features a new chapter on research methodology; expanded discussions of inequality, women鈥檚 health, public health and public policy; more material on First Nations health; and a new discussion of the historical development of the Canadian medicare system.

"The first edition sold really well and there isn鈥檛 another source out there that covers the same material in one book," says Rioux, who also directs the 91亚色 Institute for Health Research. "A second edition was needed."

The collection also includes chapters on pharmaceutical policy, social class, race, gender and care, as well as the social construction of illness and disability. In addition, it looks at approaches to promoting population health that include insights into the impact of economic forces such as globalization and privatization.

Left: Dennis Raphael

鈥淐oncerns about health and the health-care system have reached a fever pitch in Canada in recent years,鈥 write the editors. 鈥淭he public is subjected to a daily onslaught of media stories about the causes and treatment of disease and the threats to the sustainability of the Canadian health-care system.鈥

The book strives to bring together isolated yet important perspectives in identifying key issues in health, illness and health care, relating them to current policy environments as a means of identifying the complex origins of the problems identified and contributing in a meaningful way to their solution.

It focuses on the Canadian scene with relevant comparisons to the United States and other countries and is organized in four parts. The first part provides an overview and critical review of four major health paradigms 鈥撀爐he epidemiological, sociological, political economy and human rights perspectives 鈥 and a new chapter on research paradigms and methodologies.

Right: Toba Bryant

The second part explores the emerging field of the social determinants of health with a focus on social class, gender and race as indicators of differential access to the economic and social resources available within a society.

In the third part, a comparative history of the Canadian health-care system is provided, along with an overview of current attempts at reform and a detailed analysis of the effects upon the system and its participants of recent trends toward privatization.

Left: Marcia Rioux

The final part considers critical issues in health and health care that illustrate some of the key themes of the volume, including gender and its interaction with health and health care; the construction of illness and disability; health policy through the lens of pharmaceutical policy and the health-care system; and public health concerns of varying national jurisdictions.

Staying Alive is expected to be of interest to a wide range of readers in the fields of health studies, nursing and social policy. In addition to traditional health sciences and sociological approaches, the book provides human rights and political economy perspectives on health, focusing on Canada and the United States within an international context.

For more information, visit the Web site.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin

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