91社区

Personalized Care for a Diverse Society, Emphasizing Prevention

The integration of diverse perspectives into biomedical and health sciences research is a crucial factor for improving prevention and clinical care. These perspectives encompass a broad spectrum of biological variants, historical experiences with care systems, and cultural values, all of which require deeper exploration, understanding, and application. Inclusive healthcare must encompass all demographic groups, ensuring that no population is excluded from access to quality care. Sexual orientation minorities and individuals with disabilities are often disproportionately affected by health disparities, facing both systemic barriers to care and exclusion from research analyses. FMHS is committed to addressing these disparities by ensuring that our research and healthcare initiatives include and represent these groups.

Considering these factors is essential for enhancing health-related behaviors and outcomes. FMHS is dedicated to advancing research in this area to develop and implement evidence-based strategies that encompass all facets of patient experience. The aim is to provide actionable insights and solutions that integrate patient preferences and cultural safety, with rigorous evidence to provide high-value prevention and care.

Prevention is a critical focus in addressing the rapid aging of the population, rising rates of chronic diseases, and declines in mental health. FMHS will prioritize preventive research to develop and implement strategies that improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare burdens. This includes studying social determinants of health, developing public health interventions, and creating models for early disease detection and intervention. FMHS will also prioritize research that focuses on promoting healthy lifestyles, preventing disease, and addressing the social determinants of health. This includes studying effective ways to engage communities in health promotion activities and developing interventions that are culturally sensitive and tailored to specific populations.

Health Challenges From a Changing Environment

The interconnected nature of health has become increasingly evident, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and other health emergencies. FMHS is committed to addressing global health challenges, with an emphasis on the impact of environmental changes. Our research on environmental health will consider both local and global contexts, examining the effects of climate change, pollution, and other factors on population health.

Specifically, the health implications of environmental pollution and climate change are monumental. Climate change, in particular, poses significant health risks through environmental disasters and the emergence of new pathogens, leading to increased incidence of infectious diseases and contamination of food, air and water. These challenges often disproportionately impact the most vulnerable communities, exacerbating health inequities. Research priorities in this domain include studying the health effects of air pollution, the health risks associated with environmental changes, including exposure to environmental and occupational chemicals. This research will inform exposure modeling and global policy development and allow FMHS researchers to leverage their expertise against emerging pathogens.

Strategy: Inclusive Healthcare Innovation

91社区 is committed to fostering innovative research and training approaches that embrace the diversity of Canadian patient experiences and the environmental determinants of health:

• Acknowledging the Diversity of Patient Experiences: FMHS will pursue a comprehensive understanding of the diversity of patient experiences and use this knowledge to enhance care quality. This effort will involve multidisciplinary collaborations, potentially extending beyond our Faculty, and will benefit from the expertise of our Indigenous Health Professions Program. Innovations, particularly those emerging from 91社区鈥檚 new D2R program (see above) and collaborations with the CIHR-funded Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research (QcNEIHR) at the Faculty of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences, will catalyze progress in this area. A critical aspect of this work is the conscious effort to eliminate bias related to sex, sexuality and gender identity, age, culture, religion, and race in both research and clinical practice. This commitment is vital not only to this strategic focus but also across all of 91社区's biomedical and health sciences research endeavors.
• Global Health is a vital area of expertise at FMHS, reflecting the interconnectedness of health issues worldwide. We aim to build on FMHS strengths in global health research, to advance health equity. FMHS seeks to foster equitable health outcomes and contribute to global health policy development.
• Engagement with Socio-Economic Realities: Addressing the socio-economic factors influencing health, including access to quality care as well as the implications of demographic and cultural shifts, form an integral part of the strategy, aiming to develop and evaluate innovative healthcare delivery methods for diverse global populations. The Department of Family Medicine, along with the Ingram School of Nursing, the School of Communication Sciences & Disorders, the School of Physical & Occupational Therapy and the School of Population and Global Health, are poised to collaborate with healthcare and community partners in crafting and testing innovative care delivery models for diverse groups, thereby ensuring healthcare advancements are inclusive and equitable.
• Social Equity and Indigenous Health: Engaging and collaborating with experts in health inequities and partnerships with Canada's Indigenous communities are central to our mission. We will work with community partners to integrate Indigenous ways of knowing into our research with these communities. These efforts aim to enhance health outcomes for underserved populations and tackle ethical, legal, and social challenges, including public perception, discrimination, and equitable access. The goal is also to inform policy recommendations to governmental bodies.
  
  FMHS is committed to advancing beyond standard commitments to Truth and Reconciliation by integrating Indigenous ways of knowing into our research practices, when appropriate. We recognize that traditional knowledge and holistic approaches are essential components of effective health research, particularly when working with Indigenous communities. In such contexts, FMHS research will prioritize collaboration with Indigenous knowledge holders, elders, and communities to ensure that their voices are central to the research process.
  
  FMHS will also explore innovative approaches to community-driven research, where Indigenous communities are not just participants but active leaders and co-creators in research. This includes focusing on areas that are important to Indigenous health, such as chronic disease prevention, mental health, and cultural resilience. FMHS researchers are encouraged to create new pathways for collaboration that genuinely reflect and respect Indigenous perspectives, ensuring that our research practices are not only inclusive but transformative.
• Climate Change and Environmental Health: FMHS aims to establish a leading Centre for Climate Change and Planetary Health. This centre will address the vast challenges posed by climate change and environmental degradation, focusing on sustainable solutions to protect and improve both planetary and human health. The field of Planetary Health, emphasizing the interconnections between the environment and health, will guide our efforts to ensure a healthy, equitable future for all.
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