Incorporating Indigenous Knowledges into Academia
September 26/2023
Two common threads are woven through Dr. Angela Mashford-Pringle’s prolific 2023 public health research output: the importance of recognizing that Indigenous knowledges are as valid and as crucial as Western perspectives and the need to consult Indigenous peoples when conducting health research. She is committed to ensuring that Western institutions...
OHT Impact Fellows help build a learning health system in Ontario
August 14/2023By Alisa Kim For Dr. Nusrat Farhana, designing comprehensive systems of care is both an art and a science. Part of the challenge is “there is no recipe to follow, the problem is not necessarily clearly defined, and there may not be a known starting point of how to solve...
Want to counter health misinformation? There’s a course for that
July 20/2023
IHPME offering teaches students how to communicate effectively online By Alisa Kim Myths about the COVID-19 vaccine persist—for example, that it causes infertility or contains a microchip so governments can spy on their citizens—even though more than 12 billion doses have been given worldwide. “Everyone is getting their information online,...
Two DLSPH faculty members receive Connaught funding to support emerging partnerships
March 02/2023
By Bonnie O'Sullivan DLSPH researchers performed extraordinarily well this year in receiving awards from a University of Toronto fund that supports collaborations with community partners and nurtures early-stage researchers. Prof. Angela Mashford-Pringle, Associate Director of the Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health, and Prof. Beverley Essue, faculty member at the Institute...
Dr. Walter Wodchis awarded $1.5 million to lead pan-Canadian study of primary care teams
February 17/2022
By Alisa Kim Research has shown interprofessional primary care teams, comprised of doctors, nurses, social workers, dieticians and other health professionals, improve health outcomes and reduce unnecessary care. These teams were designed to provide value for health dollars through the provision of timely care and by offering various programs and...
Less is more: Dr. Gillian Parker’s research takes aim at low-value care
February 10/2022
By Alisa Kim, IHPME Being prescribed antibiotics for a viral infection or getting an MRI scan for low back pain are examples of low-value care—health care practices that yield little or no benefit, or even cause harm. Yet, according to a 2017 report by the Canadian Institute of Health...
‘Always give back’: trainee develops research opportunities for youth amidst doctoral studies
February 03/2022By Alisa Kim As an undergrad studying kinesiology, Troy Francis thought he might become a physiotherapist or a chiropractor. As he continued his studies, however, Francis, currently a PhD student in the Health Services Research program at IHPME, was drawn to a big-picture view of the health system. His...
Dr. Julia O’Sullivan partners with First Nations communities across Canada to strengthen early childhood literacy
January 24/2022
By Alisa Kim The window of opportunity for literacy is narrow, closing for most by the age of 10 years. Early literacy is not only critical for academic success but confers socioeconomic benefits. “If you can’t read and write well by the time you go to grade four, you...
A vision realized: trainee leads pilot project to deliver eye care to Indigenous children in Toronto
January 17/2022
By Alisa Kim, IHPME A study by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind found one-third of Indigenous Canadians have not had an eye exam within the last two years. Moreover, research has shown Indigenous children experience high levels of astigmatism, an irregularity in the shape of the cornea...
Professors Greg Marchildon and Sharon Straus appointed to the Order of Canada
January 03/2022By Alisa Kim, IHPME Congratulations to IHPME Professors Greg Marchildon and Sharon Straus, who were appointed to the Order of Canada. One of the country’s highest civilian honours, the Order of Canada recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. Appointments are made by the Governor-General...