In the News
U of T researchers demonstrate that raising tobacco taxes will not spark contraband market
Despite claims made by tobacco industry and convenience store representatives, tobacco tax increases do not increase contraband, according to a report by the University of Toronto’s Ontario Tobacco Research Unit. The research team, led by Robert Schwartz, analyzed trends in tobacco taxes and contraband tobacco use since 2007 and the...
Public health professors inject physical activity into the classroom
How many times have you sat for hours in class, eyelids drooping, attention waning? Since you are not alone, two Dalla Lana School of Public Health professors have introduced “fit breaks” to their class to reduce sedentary behaviours, combat fatigue and improve concentration. “I was relieved to hear that we...
Health for All: U of T Breathes Life into Public Health History
“White Poison:” Public Health and the Pasteurization of Milk in Toronto; The Power of the Needle: For Good and Evil; Drugs, Diseases, and Dollars: Public Health History is Now. These are just a few of the fascinating talks that will be delivered at The Public’s Health: a symposium on public...
U of T’s Gage Building Celebrates 100 Years
James Scott is described as a “throwback scientist” by some of his colleagues. As a public health microbiologist, Scott’s appreciation for legacy knowledge is crucial, given that history is frequently the key to sorting through a pile of unpronounceable Latin names to determine which name applies to which bug. The...
U of T Researchers Call for Greater Transparency in Vaccine Decision-Making
A group of University of Toronto researchers is urging the world’s health authorities to overhaul the way vaccine decisions are made and communicated, saying such decisions should no longer be made behind closed doors. The decision by government authorities to include new vaccines on their countries’ schedules should be open...
Dean’s Message: February 2015
We have seen a remarkable rise of infectious diseases in the last year. From the Ebola outbreak in West Africa to the resurgence of measles in North America, it is clear that public health education is crucial now more than ever. One of the unique challenges about public health is...
Public health students spearhead Ebola equipment delivery to Sierra Leone hospitals
This week, three University of Toronto public health students spearheaded the delivery of protective equipment to front-line health workers in Sierra Leone. Working with Save the Children — a global NGO dedicated to children’s rights — three first-year epidemiology students in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health successfully facilitated...
Work-related injury rates on the decline in Ontario, non-work injury rates not changing
Work-related injury rates in Ontario fell by 30 per cent from 2004 to 2011—in sharp contrast to non-work injury rates, which did not change. According to a study by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH), the overall decline in total injuries during this eight-year period can be almost entirely...
U of T public health students receive $1-million to provide FOXY sexual health education to teens in Arctic
A sexual health education program led by Dalla Lana School of Public Health PhD students received the Arctic Inspiration Prize — worth $1-million — at an Ottawa gala on December 11. FOXY — Fostering Open eXpression among Youth — is an arts-based sexual health education program that empowers young women...
DLSPH names director of Institute for Indigenous Health
Professor Jeffrey Reading will begin the role of inaugural interim director of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health’s Institute for Indigenous Health on January 1, 2015. This is somewhat of a homecoming for Professor Reading. He is an alumnus with master’s and PhD degrees from U of T’s Community...