New research chairs to focus on public health

Ottawa, ON – Fourteen new research chairs that will study various aspects of public health are sharing nearly $13 million in funding.

The funding is being shared by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Population and Public Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada, in partnership with the Centre de recherche en prvention de l’obsit, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Fonds de la recherche en sant du Qubec (FRSQ) and the ministre de la Sant et des Services sociaux du Qubec (Qubec Ministry of Health and Social Services).

“To better address the many public health challenges facing Canada, we need the evidence to be able to improve policies and programs. This major health research investment will fund first-class researchers who will work with decision-makers to support prevention programs and healthy public policies,” said Dr John Frank, scientific director at the CIHR Institute of Population and Public Health.

The research chairs are as follows:

– Growing up healthy; Dr Gilles Paradis (McGill University, Montreal) will develop new programs to promote healthy lifestyles in school children.

Let’s make obesity a thing of the past; Dr Kim D Raine (University of Alberta, Edmonton) will research new ways to prevent obesity-related chronic diseases and promote healthy weights.

– Where you live influences your health!; Dr James R. Dunn (St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto) will examine how neighbourhoods influence healthy living.

– Building better health by building new tools; Dr Douglas G. Manuel (Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto) will develop new tools to assess the value of prevention programs on the Canadian population.

– How much does good health cost? How much is good health worth?; Dr Alan Shiell (University of Calgary, Calgary) will study the economic value of programs that tackle the social determinants of health.

– Get off the couch and take a walk!; Dr Ronald C. Plotnikoff (University of Alberta, Edmonton) will study the effectiveness of programs that encourage physical activity for adults and develop new strategies for promoting healthy body weights.

– Time to talk about sex; Dr Jean A. Shoveller (University of British Columbia, Vancouver) will explore new strategies for preventing sexually transmitted disease and unwanted pregnancy in Canadian youth.

– Stopping disease from making the jump; Dr Janice M. Sargeant (University of Guelph, Guelph) will investigate the factors that make it possible for diseases to jump from animals to humans and develop new strategies for preventing this spread.

– Battling the problem of disease and drugs; Dr Benedikt Fischer (University of Victoria, Victoria) will work towards better understanding the needs of those affected by infectious diseases and involved in drug use. This research will find better ways to develop and deliver prevention and treatment programs.

– Rural Health Outcomes and What Works to Reduce Inequities; Dr Patricia J Martens (University of Manitoba, Winnipeg) will study patterns of health outcomes and health care use for rural people, to understand what works in terms of policies and preventive services.

– Mental health prevention in the workplace; Dr Carolyn S Dewa (University of Toronto, Toronto) will produce applied and timely research on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention workplace interventions.

– Towards a better mental health of the population; Dr Louise Fournier (University of Montreal, Montreal) wants to improve mental health of the population.

– Healthy youth development; Dr Elizabeth M Saewyc (University of British-Columbia, Vancouver) wants to find ways to help even the most vulnerable youth not just survive, but thrive

– Building healthy living urban neighbourhoods; Dr Lise Gauvin, (Universit de Montral, Montreal) will investigate ways to promote healthy lifestyles in urban neighbourhoods.