Innovation Anthology #758:

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Dr. Cheryl Currie holds the Alberta Innovates Health Solutions Translational Health Chair in Aboriginal Health.

That’s at the University of Lethbridge.

Her recent  study linked racism and prescription drug use by Aboriginal people.

Dr. Curry measured racism by how many situations a Aboriginal person experienced,
with a potential of 9 situations over a year.

This could be at work, at school, shopping,  encounters with police and so on.

DR CHERYL CURRIE:  A person with 2 situations, on average, their score on prescription drug addiction went up by half a point for each additional situation that they experienced racism. And that half a point is significant because if you’re a female, you only need a score of 2 on this scale to be suggestive of perhaps a prescription drug addiction that you need formal diagnostic testing for.  If you’re male you need a score of 6 or more for an MD to determine that maybe you need further  diagnostic testing.

Dr. Currie’s next step was to determine the level of stress experienced and the impact this racism had on the individual’s health.

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: 2016-02-18