Project Listing

Expansion of Networks

Title: CANADA #55: International Network for Circumpolar Health Research - Progress update (pdf)

Summary of Activity

The creation, development and sustaining of an international, collaborative research network with the overall aim of promoting and facilitating research into the health transition experienced by indigenous populations in Canada (Nunavut, Nunavik, NWT), Greenland, Alaska, the Nordic countries and Russia. The network links academic researchers, research centres, regional health authorities, and indigenous peoples’ organizations, and will contain the following components: (a) Research planning and coordination (b) Knowledge translation (c) Research dissemination (d) Research training Rationale: • Northern indigenous populations in the circumpolar region are undergoing a rapid social, cultural and economic transition which has resulted in changes in the major patterns of health and diseases, especially the emergence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases; • Now is the time to conduct intensive research into monitoring the occurrence, understanding the determinants, and testing the interventions in order to avert future epidemics and improve the health and well-being of indigenous peoples of the Arctic; • The proposed network formalizes an informal one that already exists across several circumpolar countries, linking researchers with a proven track record of productive, collaborative research, and considerable experience of partnership with regional health authorities/local governments, and indigenous people’s organizations • The IPY infrastructural support will allow the network to leverage funding from existing public and private sources to support specific projects, by funding critical research-related activities that are not normally allowable by regular operating grants, and create a long-lasting legacy of a robust research organization to sustain research in the next decade.

Contact:

Dr Kue Young
100 College Street, Toronto, ON
M5G 1L5
Canada
Tel: 416-978-6459
Mobile: no
Fax: 416-946-8055
Email: kue.young@utoronto.ca