CIHR Catalyst Grants announced

Dr. Fatawu Abdulai

Virtual Care-Generated Inequities Among Trauma Survivors Seeking Abortion Care 
($124,999)

Across Canada, access to virtual and online health services such as telephone and video calls, emails, text messaging, and other types of health services that are accessed on the phone or over the internet has increased in recent years. Virtual care has also increased access to abortion services (medical procedures that end a pregnancy). For example, people can access prescriptions for medication abortions and can receive counseling, and post-abortion care virtually. Even though virtual care is convenient, there are concerns that it could create, perpetuate, and exacerbate barriers in accessing abortion services for trauma survivors who may not have access to virtual technologies or the expertise to use such virtual services. In this project, we aim to work with abortion seekers who have experienced trauma, clinicians, health professional associations, and abortion advocacy organizations to determine how the move towards virtual care creates or increases barriers to abortion services for trauma survivors. This study is expected to generate awareness of the impact of virtual care on access to abortion for trauma survivors who find in-person visits difficult, overwhelming, or re-traumatizing. The findings will guide abortion advisory groups on best practices for how virtual care can support the most vulnerable people who seek abortion services.

Dr. Vicky Bungay

Understanding and Enhancing System Level Drivers of Community Services with Women Experiencing Gender-Based Violence in British Columbia 
($124,676) 

Violence against women is a leading cause of premature death and health and social inequities among women in Canada and across the globe. Currently, community-level services, operating within the non-profit sector are the most significant resource accessed by women affected by violence and are leaders in advocacy and public education to change damaging social norms. Despite their essential role in preventing and mitigating the effects of violence and connecting women with essential life sustaining services, these organizations face a multitude of challenges associated with federal, provincial and municipal policy, funding, and regulatory processes that limit their potential to achieve these aims. As Canada strives to determine how to identify and implement better ways to prevent violence and increase services to those most in need, research is urgently needed to better understand how these policy and economic structures impact the non-profit service sector in ways that either limit or enhance the capacity for these organizations to do their work. In this study we are investigating the policies and regulations that shape how government policies organize, regulate and fund not-profits organizations to provide services to diverse populations affected by violence. We will examine if and how the relevant policies both positively and negatively impact community organizations' service provision and capacity for advocacy and public education. We will also conduct interviews with community service leaders to learn more about their experiences of navigating these structures. The knowledge gleaned in this research will be used to generate recommendations for policy and programming to more effectively support organizations providing life sustaining services to women affected by violence. 

Dr. Trevor Goodyear

Getting upstream of youth overdose: A youth-engaged policy restructuring study 
($124,981)

This research is focused on addressing the serious and rising problem of overdose among youth between the ages of 10 and 24. This is an urgent issue in Canada, where overdose is now one of the leading causes of death among youth, with certain minority groups such as Indigenous, racialized, 2S/LGBTQ+, and homeless youth especially at risk. Our aim in this one-year study is to better understand the "upstream" or "big picture" societal and structural factors that contribute to, and can protect against, overdose in youth. By looking at existing policies from across the country and hearing directly from diverse youth involved in overdose prevention, we will explore what's missing in current efforts and identify what can be done to better prevent youth overdose. The study will use a mixed approach, combining a critical review of existing policies with a research method called photovoice. For this, we will recruit 25 youth engaged in overdose prevention advocacy in British Columbia and ask them to share their experiences and ideas through in-depth interviews and a participatory photography exercise. These activities will be guided by two youth advisory committees, to help ensure that youth voices and expertise are central to the study processes and eventual findings and recommendations. The wider study team will include health researchers and drug policy experts committed to addressing the root drivers of overdose among youth, alongside inequities that make minority youth more at risk for substance use and overdose. Our work together will culminate in a community Summit to creatively showcase the study findings with youth and other decision-makers, thus making sure that youth perspectives are heard and acted upon in efforts to get upstream of youth overdose. With this Summit and other activities such as academic publications and presentations, this research will guide policy actions to better address youth overdose and its root causes.