A network of researchers at McMaster has been established to create a deeper and more critical understanding of health and the health care environment.

The Critical Health Research Network will be headed by Department of Health, Aging and Society professors Gavin Andrews and James Gillett and include researchers from ten areas of the University, ranging from geography and family medicine to English and anthropology.

“It’s not just about medicine, it’s about health more broadly,” says Andrews, who adds that having such a diverse network of experts means research areas could include chronic illness, emotions and health or animals and health, to name a few. “It’s an opportunity to show the qualitative health research we are doing at the University.”

The CHRN will be housed in McMaster’s Department of Health, Aging and Society and be made up of members on a network and associate level.

“We have to re-capture some of the public spirit and work with communities,” says Andrews, noting the CHRN will also question dominant models of thinking and help give a voice to subjects and issues that are neglected or marginalized in mainstream health care practice or research.

The CHRN will host a speaker series and conferences to help promote the research being done by CHRN members and build on partnerships with similar networks, centres or institutions at other universities.

The network’s members will also look to create a graduate course, which would be delivered on campus and be open to health care professionals.