Institute of Health Promotion Research: Strengthening Health Disparities Research in BC

Many people suffer from negative health behaviours, reduced health status and inappropriate access to and/or use of health services associated with being part of a vulnerable population. Focusing on five settings – community, workplace, clinical-community interface, school and international – this multidisciplinary unit will undertake research aimed at developing health promotion strategies to help reduce these disparities. The unit’s emphasis will be on development of better tools, methods and resources for conducting research with vulnerable populations, and improvements in knowledge translation and dissemination of research findings.

Leader:

Members:

  • Reva Adler, MD
    University of British Columbia
  • Ellen Balka, PhD
    Simon Fraser University
  • Philip Bigelow, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • William Bowie, MD
    University of British Columbia
  • Gwenneth Chapman, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Barbara Crocker, MA
    Vancouver Coastal Health
  • James Frankish, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Judith Globerman, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Eduardo Jovel, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Arminée Kazanjian, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Susan Kennedy, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Rena Levy-Milne, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Chris Lovato, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Aleck Ostry, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Danielle Papineau, PhD
    Vancouver Coastal Health
  • Laurie Pearce, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Gary Poole, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Mohammad Iraj Poureslami, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Irving Rootman, PhD
    University of Victoria
  • Samuel Sheps, MD
    University of British Columbia
  • Jerry Spiegel, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Robert VanWynsberghe, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Elvin Wyly, PhD
    University of British Columbia
  • Bruno Zumbo, PhD
    University of British Columbia

Many people suffer from negative health behaviours, reduced health status and inappropriate access to and/or use of health services associated with being part of a vulnerable population. Focusing on five settings – community, workplace, clinical-community interface, school and international – this multidisciplinary unit will undertake research aimed at developing health promotion strategies to help reduce these disparities. The unit’s emphasis will be on development of better tools, methods and resources for conducting research with vulnerable populations, and improvements in knowledge translation and dissemination of research findings.

Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health. Disparities in health status, health behaviours and use of health/social services are poorly documented in BC and some, even when documented, have not been addressed effectively. Furthermore, BC’s multicultural nature highlights the need to integrate local and international efforts to reduce health disparities. This unit aims to reduce health disparities among vulnerable populations, with a focus on developing better tools, methods and resources for conducting research with vulnerable populations, and for translating research findings into policy and more effective health promotion strategies in community, workplace, school, clinical and international settings.

Conditions that lead to or result from health inequalities are detrimental to all, eroding social cohesion and impeding productivity and growth. This unit will conduct research, program and policy evaluation and collaborative research training to foster and support evidence-based decision-making on the part of health practitioners, policy makers, the lay public and academics. The unit’s program will be directed at developing and employing effective health promotion strategies to address health disparities in five settings:

Award term completed September 2009.