Innovation Anthology #757:

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Dr. Cheryl Currie has recently published a study that links prescription drug addiction among Aboriginal people to the level of racism they may experience.  

Her study goes further and suggests the stress can be so severe as to cause PTSD – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Dr. Cheryl Currie is an Assistant Professor of   Public Health  at the University of Lethbridge.     She also holds the Alberta Innovates Health Solutions Translational Health Chair in Aboriginal Health.

DR CHERYL CURRIE:     So it’s, I find,  in the literature  not that common at times to think about prescription drug abuse in terms of those larger social and structural factors that may also be influencing people’s behavior.  And so this study really thought about that.  And when we look at health inequities in different populations, a social factor that we really see in the literature is the experience of racism.  And it’s an extremely stressful experience that causes a lot of psychological distress, and feelings of needing to try to escape or cope with those feelings.    

Dr Currie’s findings are drawn from her 2010 health survey of Aboriginal adults living in Edmonton.

Thanks today to Alberta Innovates Health Solutions.  

FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY
I’M CHERYL CROUCHER

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Alberta Innovates Health Solutions

Alberta Innovates (formerly Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions)

As the newly formed Alberta Innovates corporation, we still fund top quality, internationally competitive health research and innovation activities to improve the health and wellbeing of Albertans. We provide leadership for Alberta’s health research and innovation enterprise by directing, coordinating, reviewing, funding and supporting research and innovation.

Working with our many partners  in the health system, we ensure that research achieves innovation in care, policy and practice, and that the needs of patients and clinicians influence research.

Our background

Alberta Innovates consolidation was launched November 1, 2016.

Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions

Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions was established as part of the Alberta Innovates system by an Act of Legislation of the Government of Alberta. It is a agency  of the Government of Alberta. We receive a yearly allocation from the Ministry of Health and report through the ministry to the people of Alberta.

Our Mandate and Roles document reflects our role and responsibilities and outlines the government statues and regulations with which we comply.

Alberta’s Health Research and Innovation Strategy (AHRIS) sets out Alberta’s health research agenda for the coming decade to ensure our considerable investments in research align with our priority—to improve the health of Albertans.

Program Date: 2016-02-11