Social, Equity and Health Research

Section Heads

Contact

Ms. Patricia Donoghue, Administrative Secretary
Social, Equity and Health Research Section
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
250 College Street
Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R8
(416) 535-8501 ext. 4683

Research Objective

Researchers are focusing on the urgent needs of vulnerable populations to address growing disparities in access to adequate health care for addiction and mental health problems. They strive to provide a theoretical framework for comprehending health and all forms of social diversity.

Summary of Activities

Diversity and equity are at the centre of CAMH’s strategic priorities and research scientists in this section explore social structures that produce and maintain disparities in health, especially for those who are already disadvantaged in terms of health and access to health care services.

Researchers’ activities currently fall within three streams of scientific inquiries.

Determining the nature and extent of health inequalities in terms of health status and access to adequate health care services.
Improving clinical care for addiction and mental health problems by identifying the best ways to promote cultural competence.
Focusing on stigma of mental illness. One of the most difficult challenges in mental health care is to reduce “failure and delay” in seeing and receiving adequate care. The stigma of mental illness experienced by those who have a mental illness and their families is a major concern and whether the use of complimentary and alternative treatments is related to unmet mental health care needs.

Research Highlights

An article on politics and health outcomes analysed a number of political, economic, social, and health variables over a 50-year period. It showed that the political ideologies of governing parties affect some indicators of population health. The study claims that policies aimed at reducing social inequalities, such as welfare state and labour market policies, can exert salutary effects on infant mortality and life expectancy at birth.

A study investigated the rates and patterns of mental health service use in an adult sample of Ethiopian immigrants in Toronto. Data showed a significant association between the level of somatic symptoms and the use of family physicians. This finding suggests that in this minority population mental health care needs may be met through physical complaints to family physicians. The study highlights a critical role of family physicians in the provision of adequate mental health care in cultural minority groups.

Researchers examined whether overt and subtle discrimination is relevant for depression and positive mental health. The study reports for the first time that experiences of subtle form of unfair treatments in everyday life has significant implications for increased level of depressive symptoms, because such experiences of ambiguous situation demands more cognitive appraisal of one’s position in social relations.