Nearly 25 percent of Canadians will be 65 or older by 2036. With increasing age, most seniors face the difficult decision of where to live. Jennifer Harvey is studying how seniorsâ sense of place, emotional ties and experiences in a community influence their decision to move to a new location or to stay in the same place. She is also studying how support networks differ for seniors who stay in place and those who move. Jennifer is examining the experiences of seniors in two small B.C. communities: Parksville, where almost 31 percent of the population were seniors in 2001, and Qualicum Beach, where 38 percent were seniors. These figures are significantly higher than the provincial average of approximately 13 percent. Results from the research could be used to forecast migration patterns among seniors and improve housing, health and social service policies in communities with aging populations.
Research Pillar: Population Health
Punjabi immigrant women’s experiences of breast cancer
Breast cancer affects one in nine Canadian women. In BC’s South Asian community, while the majority of immigrants are Punjabi, little is known about the experiences of Punjabi immigrant women with breast cancer. Fuchsia Howard is studying how cultural, social and life contexts influence Punjabi women’s experiences with breast cancer. She is assessing whether these factors affect accessibility of health services and social supports, and how Punjabi women think about, adjust to and cope with breast cancer. Results from the research could enable health care providers to better understand Punjabi women’s health needs, and provide more culturally appropriate, respectful care. The findings could also be used to develop policies and programs that ensure women of all ethnicities receive optimal cancer care.
Impact of labour market change on community and workplace health in health services
A growing body of evidence indicates that a lack of control over working conditions contributes significantly to poor health and that social networks have a positive impact on health. Amber Louie is building on that research by analyzing the impact of organizational restructuring and changing work conditions on health care workers. Amber is examining the barriers to workersâ control in the health care sector, and the factors that facilitate or serve as incentives for workersâ control. She is also investigating the relative effectiveness of the various forms that workersâ control may take. The research involves interviewing community health workers to assess individual perceptions about social support, participation in decision-making and other factors that affect their working conditions. The study could provide important information for health care practitioners, human resource managers and community developers to use in the design, implementation and evaluation of workplace and community health promotion programs.
Family environment and mental health of youth from biological and adoptive families
Research suggests the family environment plays an important role in youth health and development. For example, youth exposed to more coercive forms of discipline, higher family stress, and less parental care seem to be at higher risk of developing alcohol problems. However, other research suggests genetic factors may influence both risk behaviours and family factors, such as parenting. Ming Ao is studying both biological and adoptive families to determine if the family environment influences mental health and risk behaviours in youth. Ming is assessing how family environment affects young peopleâs emotional well-being, social skills and competence. The findings from this study could improve understanding of family influence on youth mental health and be used to develop youth health services for biological and adoptive families.
Patterns of social anxiety in Chinese and European Canadian populations
Many people experience the social anxiety of being uncomfortable in certain social situations. But social anxiety can develop into social phobia, a clinical condition characterized by excessive fear related to attention and scrutiny by others that can significantly impair quality of life. Surveys in Asia have shown Asians experience considerably less social phobia than Western populations. But North American studies show Asians report higher levels of social anxiety than Caucasians. Lorena Hsu is examining two possible explanations for this discrepancy: Asians are less impaired by social anxiety and therefore less likely to develop social phobia, or Asians are less likely to openly admit to symptoms of social phobia. Using data collected from questionnaires and interviews of Chinese and European Canadians, Lorena will determine which explanation provides a better account of the discrepancy. This study could help explain how people in different cultures experience and express social anxiety, and contribute to development of culturally appropriate mental health services.
Assessing the role of neighbourhoods in the school readiness of kindergarten children in British Columbia
Research has documented that a childâs immediate surroundings affect early development. Neighborhood variables such as socioeconomic status, cohesion, safety, and access to community resources (e.g. childcare, libraries) are amongst those factors that can affect child health and development. However, there is little Canadian research that addresses this connection. Vanessa Lapointe wants to fill that gap by studying how neighbourhood conditions affect the developmental health of British Columbian kindergarten children across five developmental categories: physical health and well-being; social competence; emotional maturity; language and cognitive development; and communication skills and general knowledge. This research will be helpful in designing early intervention programs to assist children who may otherwise lack the developmental foundation needed to be successful as they begin school.
The role of peer relationships in physical activity motivation and participation among young adolescents
Physical activity provides numerous health benefits, but most Canadian youth are not active enough to receive these benefits. The growing trend of inactivity has serious health implications for youth now and into adulthood. A number of theories on motivation suggest that peer relationships influence adolescentsâ motivations and behaviour, but little research has explored the influence of peers on physical activity. Meghan McDonough is surveying 500 high school students to determine the role of peer relationships in physical activity motivation and behaviour. She also aims to identify specific elements of peer relationships that are key influences of physical activity motivation and behaviour. Results from the research could contribute to development of programs that motivate youth to participate in physical activity.
An analysis of the structure of life satisfaction as an indicator of adolescent quality of life in context of health
Quality of life has become an important outcome of health care practice and research. Quality of life measurements are increasingly being used to determine the appropriateness of various treatment approaches. However, quality of life research has focused primarily on adult and senior populations, with little research examining quality of life among adolescents. In a study targeting adolescents aged 13 to 19 who attend BC high schools, Richard Sawatzky is researching the effectiveness of the Multidimensional Student Life Satisfaction Scale in measuring adolescent quality of life. Using data obtained with the scale, he is examining how differences in perceived and observed physical and psychological health affect adolescentsâ perceptions of family life, friendships, school life, living environment and themselves. Health professionals could use findings from the research to develop health promotion initiatives and treatments that address the particular needs of adolescents.
Novel statistical methods for inference of associations between traits and SNP haplotypes in the presence of uncertain haplotype phase
A single gene can be solely responsible for certain genetic disorders. For example, only people who carry two defective copies of the CFTR gene develop cystic fibrosis. By contrast, complex genetic disorders such as cancer and diabetes likely involve a number of genes that increase susceptibility, and act in conjunction with lifestyle and environmental exposures to increase risk for developing disease. Most success in identifying single causative genes has been achieved by studying co-segregation of a trait with genomic regions in families. However, to tackle complex disorders, researchers have turned from family studies to population studies that investigate associations between a disease and variations in DNA sequences known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Blocks of SNPs, known as haplotypes, offer promise for identifying genes contributing to disease risk. For example, SNP haplotypes were used to help identify a predisposing gene for Crohn’s disease. The underlying idea is that similarity among haplotypes of affected individuals will lead to disease associations. Dr. Jinko Graham is developing improved biostatistical methods that account for haplotype uncertainty in analyzing these disease associations. The new techniques will eliminate inaccuracies associated with previous methods and could enable researchers to better evaluate genetic and environmental risks for conditions including diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Health Research of Vulnerable Urban Populations
Up to half of all Canadians with HIV also have hepatitis C, with co-infection highest among injection drug users. Dr. Anita Palepu is researching the impact of drug and alcohol use among people co-infected with HIV and hepatitis C on their adherence to HIV treatment and on treatment outcomes. Dr. Palepu, who focuses on health and social problems faced by vulnerable urban populations such as drug users and homeless people, is also examining the role of addiction treatment in clinical outcomes. In a related project, she is conducting a quality of life study with vulnerable populations such as injection drug users, homeless people and street youth to assess the effectiveness of interventions intended to improve their lives. Dr. Palepu is also part of a national network of researchers evaluating the effects of programs designed to prevent homelessness, or help people exit homelessness, on the health of those considered âhard to house.â The research could inform health and social policies and ultimately help improve the health of vulnerable urban populations.