Posted on Sept. 24: Study examines health in the city

Exploring how health outcomes and determinants of health vary at the local level is the broad goal of a large collaborative research project recently conducted by the McMaster Institute of Environment and Health and its community partners.

“We know that there are lots of things that influence our health - environment, lifestyle, health services and so on,” said medical geographer John Eyles, who is the lead project researcher and the institute's director. “In Canada, most work has been done at the national and provincial levels. This research is unique as it examines these factors and health at the neighbourhood level.”

A survey, the first of its kind in Canada, was administered to 1,500 Hamilton adult residents, grouped into five zones in the Hamilton area: Chedoke-Kirkendall; central downtown core; northeast industrial; southwest mountain and the former City of Hamilton. Interviews were also conducted with a number of study participants in each of these neighbourhoods.

The survey included questions about health status, lifestyle behaviours, social networks, community involvement, health service use, and demographic questions, including age, education, occupation or status in the workforce. People were also asked if they liked their neighbourhood, how it may be improved, and about features of their home, such as the age of their dwelling, and if it was in need of major repairs.

The McMaster Institute of Environment and Health will present some of the key findings at a meeting held at the Hayloft Room of Dundurn Castle on Thursday, Sept. 25 from 8.30 a.m. to 12.15 p.m.

McMaster University researchers John Eyles, Susan Elliott, Stephen Birch, Ann Herring, Tina Moffat, Anne Ehrlich, Chris Justice, and Sue Keller-Olaman, along with University of Toronto researcher Kathi Wilson will present a range of topics. These will cover: smoking and health; healthy lifestyles; determinants of seniors' health, neighbourhood and health; women, social capital and health; social exclusion; and education and employment. The meeting will also include poster presentations.

An important part of the research is to inform decision makers, and the researchers will be on hand to discuss the findings and their implications for local strategies. Local politicians and interested representatives from health and housing services, the business community and community organizations have been invited to attend.

This research is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

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Exploring how health outcomes and determinants of health vary at the local level is the broad goal of a large collaborative research project recently conducted by the <a href="http://www.mcmaster.ca/mieh/">McMaster Institute of Environment and Health</a> and its community partners.<p><br />
 <br />
"We know that there are lots of things that influence our health - environment, lifestyle, health services and so on," said medical geographer John Eyles, who is the lead project researcher and the institute&#039;s director. "In Canada, most work has been done at the national and provincial levels. This research is unique as it examines these factors and health at the neighbourhood level."<p><br />
 <br />
A survey, the first of its kind in Canada, was administered to 1,500 Hamilton adult residents, grouped into five zones in the Hamilton area: Chedoke-Kirkendall; central downtown core; northeast industrial; southwest mountain and the former City of Hamilton.  Interviews were also conducted with a number of study participants in each of these neighbourhoods.<p><br />
 <br />
The survey included questions about health status, lifestyle behaviours, social networks, community involvement, health service use, and demographic questions, including age, education, occupation or status in the workforce. People were also asked if they liked their neighbourhood, how it may be improved, and about features of their home, such as the age of their dwelling, and if it was in need of major repairs.<p><br />
 <br />
The McMaster Institute of Environment and Health will present some of the key findings at a meeting held at the Hayloft Room of Dundurn Castle on Thursday, Sept. 25 from 8.30 a.m. to 12.15 p.m.<p><br />
 <br />
McMaster University researchers John Eyles, Susan Elliott, Stephen Birch, Ann Herring, Tina Moffat, Anne Ehrlich, Chris Justice, and Sue Keller-Olaman, along with University of Toronto researcher Kathi Wilson will present a range of topics. These will cover: smoking and health; healthy lifestyles; determinants of seniors&#039; health, neighbourhood and health; women, social capital and health; social exclusion; and education and employment. The meeting will also include poster presentations.<p><br />
 <br />
An important part of the research is to inform decision makers, and the researchers will be on hand to discuss the findings and their implications for local strategies.  Local politicians and interested representatives from health and housing services, the business community and community organizations have been invited to attend.<p><br />
 <br />
This research is funded by the <a href="http://www.sshrc.ca/">Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada</a> (SSHRC).<p>

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