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Centre for Urban Health Initiatives
Spotlight on Urban Health Seminar Series
**all seminars run from 1:15- 2:45
“Sudanese Settlement and Sociocultural Aspects of Mental Health: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally”
Dr. Laura Simich
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
CUHI Community-Based Research Award of Merit Honourable Mention
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Location: University College, University of Toronto, Room 177 (15 King’s College Circle – West Wing)
Summary: The community-based Study of Sudanese Settlement in Ontario was conducted for Citizenship and Immigration Canada to ascertain Sudanese settlement needs in seven Ontario cities. The study indicated that family adaptation, economic integration and social cohesion are the major settlement challenges for Sudanese, and that these have a deleterious impact on individual and community mental health. In this presentation, Dr. Simich looks back on success factors and outcomes of the initial study. She also presents recent findings from an in-depth follow-up study conducted in Toronto, Ontario; Calgary, Alberta; and in the rural community of Brooks, Alberta, to identify underlying issues and proposed solutions for community mental health. The presentation reflects on local and global contexts.
Bio: Laura Simich, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Anthropology, University of Toronto, and a Scientist in Social Equity and Health at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto. Dr. Simich specializes in qualitative, community-based research among immigrants and refugees. Her ongoing interests are social support, resilience, family wellbeing and mental health among Sudanese, Sri Lankan Tamil refugees and non-status immigrants in Toronto. She helped to develop the popular self-help guide for mental health promotion in diverse communities, Alone in Canada: 21 Ways to Make it Better, a Guide for Single Newcomers to Canada, available in 18 languages.
Free, all are welcome, please RSVP to [log in to unmask]
Upcoming Seminars/ Workshops:
Thursday January 17, 2008
Donald Cole and Kate Bassil, Department of Geography, University of Toronto
CUHI 2004 & 2006 Seed Grant Recipient
Presentation Title: “Use of 911 Ambulance Dispatch Data for the Syndromic Surveillance of Heat-Related Illness in Toronto: Summer 2007”
Location: University College, University of Toronto, Room 177 (15 King’s College Circle)
Summary: The adverse effect of heat on health in urban communities is of major concern, and will likely become even more important with climate change. In Toronto, although a heat alert system based upon predicted excess mortality exists, there is currently no method for monitoring heat-related illness (HRI) in the community. As a result, there is a lack of information regarding the impact of HRI on members of the community and the urban areas that are most severely affected. Over the summer of 2007 our research group monitored the temporal and spatial distribution of heat-related illness in Toronto using 911 ambulance dispatch data. The findings of this work will be presented as well as a discussion of the challenges in developing and using this syndromic surveillance system in the public health environment.
Bio(s):
Kate Bassil is a PhD candidate in the Epidemiology program in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Toronto. Prior to this Kate completed a MSc in Epidemiology, also at the University of Toronto, and a BSc Biological Sciences at Oxford University in 1998. The focus of her doctoral research is the use of ambulance dispatch data to better understand the temporal and geospatial distribution of heat-related illness in Toronto.
Donald Cole is a physician who practiced primary care, public health, occupational health and environmental health in a variety of settings globally. In a community medicine residency at McMaster University he completed a Masters in Design, Measurement and Evaluation of Health Services (1991), and went on to qualify as a Royal College fellow in Occupational Medicine (1990) and Community Medicine (1992). A Tri-Council Eco-Research fellowship in environmental epidemiology and the role of Interim Director of Research followed by Senior Scientist at the Institute for Work & Health fostered his focus on research. His ongoing interest in agriculture and human health questions led to his leading development of the Agriculture and Human Health Division with the International Potato Center. As a tenured Associate Professor of Public Health Sciences at the University of Toronto, he currently teaches, mentors, does research, and contributes research evidence to public health practice both in Canada and internationally.
Tuesday February 12, 2008
Cyndy Baskin, School of Social Work, Ryerson University
CUHI 2006 Seed Grant Recipient
Presentation Title: “Which of the Following is NOT an Essential Service o Roads o Schools o Food Access? Exploring Food Security with Young Aboriginal Moms”
Location: Earth Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Room 142
Summary: This seminar will present findings from a research project conducted with young Aboriginal mothers in Toronto using Aboriginal research methodologies. The project explored issues affecting food security for these mothers and their children with a focus on community involvement and policy connections.
Bio: Dr. Cyndy Baskin, of the Mi'kmaq Nation, is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work and the Centre for Studies in Food Security at Ryerson University. She worked at several Aboriginal social services agencies within Toronto before coming to Ryerson in 2001. Cyndy's teaching, research and writing focus on Aboriginal world views, research methodologies, decolonization, and the strength, resilience and resistance of Indigenous peoples globally.
Wednesday March 19, 2008
June Larkin, Institute for Women’s Studies and Gender Studies & Susan Flynn, Planned Parenthood
CUHI 2007 CBR Award of Merit Winners
Project: Toronto Teen Survey
Presentation Title: “The Toronto Teen Survey: Improving Sexual Health Services for Diverse Toronto Youth”
Location: Bahen Centre, University of Toronto: Room 2130 (40 St. George Street, immediately south of Russell Street)
Thursday April 17, 2008
Gala Arh, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
CUHI 2006 Seed Grant Recipient
Project: “Mapping the Attributes of the Church & Wellesley Neighbourhoods which Influence Tobacco Use among Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, Transgender People”
Presentation Title: TBA
Location: Bahen Centre, University of Toronto: Room B024 (40 St. George Street, immediately south of Russell Street)
Alexis Kane Speer
Centre Coordinator
Centre for Urban Health Initiatives (CUHI)
University College, Room 259
University of Toronto
15 King's College Circle
Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H7
416-978-7223
FAX: 416-946-0669
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