She talks about care poverty among Canadian seniors; when older seniors needs remain unmet.

To listen to the entire conversation, please follow the link to 560 CFOS.

The study was published last week in the international journal BMC Public Health. The researchers analyzed de-identified (anonymous) government health and social service data that is stored in the Population Research Data Repository at UM’s Manitoba Centre for Health Policy.

They studied the 20-year period from 1998 to 2019, tracking data for more than 13,000 First Nations birthing parents and more than 106,700 non-First Nations birthing parents who had their first child between those years.

The results revealed that:

• First Nations parents experienced extremely high rates of CFS contact in the 20-year study window:
  • 50 per cent of all First Nations birthing parents had an open CFS file (a rate nearly four times higher than non-First Nations parents)
  • 27 per cent of all First Nations birthing parents experienced removal of one or more of their children (a rate nearly six times higher than non-First Nations parents)
  • 10 per cent of all First Nations birthing parents experienced termination of parental rights of one or more of their children (a rate more than five times higher than non-First Nations parents)

“There has been no previous study in Manitoba or elsewhere that has estimated population-level rates of CFS contact among parents,” said Dr. Kathleen Kenny, a postdoctoral fellow in community health sciences at the Max Rady College of Medicine, who led the study.

“Our research shows devastating levels of disruption and harm by CFS to First Nations families and communities over the past 20 years that is broad and extensive.”

She said the reach and scope of interventions by this system should be considered in remedies to mitigate their long-term impacts on First Nations families and support healing.

“This system was never built for us. It does not reflect who we are, how we care for each other, or what our children need. Every child removed from their family and Nation is a tragedy. It breaks the sacred and spiritual bonds, severs connection to land, and inflicts lasting harm on our Nations. When half of all First Nations birthing parents have an open CFS file, that is not protection; it is systemic oppression. Forcing our families into colonial frameworks is a violation of our rights and our sovereignty,” said AMC Grand Chief Kyra Wilson.

The researchers’ joint recommendations include:

• Keep families together: Preserve family and cultural bonds, such as First Nations-led customary systems of care and reunification homes that allow parents and children to reside together with support.
• For First Nations families who have experienced the harms of family separation, adequate funding is needed to support First Nations-led, culturally based models that ensure long-term wellness for parents.
• Maintain the full government social assistance/welfare parental benefit and public housing unit for the parent following a child being taken into temporary custody so that parents are better supported to bring children home and prevent further family breakdown.
• Invest in First Nations-led preventative supports and the resurgence of holistic wellness for First Nations parents at risk of contact with child protective services, including the establishment of community-based, supportive spaces outside of child protective service agencies where families in crisis can be referred as a first-line strategy to strengthen and keep families intact.

“As a participant in this important research, I know firsthand the power of data to tell the truth about what our families have endured. I applaud Dr. Kenny and the University of Manitoba for working in true partnership with the AMC to expose the systemic harms of child welfare and support our Nations’ healing and sovereignty.  We need more First Nations-specific research like this to support First Nations as they move away from colonial provincial structures toward systems grounded in our own laws, jurisdiction, and sacred responsibilities to our children,” concluded Wilson.

View or read the study infographic: pdf or plain text. 

Unlike many other provinces, Manitoba doesn’t regularly collect data about the price of food across regions. That’s a missed opportunity, says Joyce Slater, a professor of community and public health nutrition at the University of Manitoba.

“It’s just considered part of good governance to have this kind of information available at the provincial and regional level,” Slater says.

“Food is a big part of most people’s budgets.”

Elsewhere, average food costs are tracked through the nutritious food basket framework, a survey tool developed by Health Canada, and used nationally and regionally to monitor the cost and affordability of healthy eating over time.

To read the full story, please visit the Winnipeg Free Press. 

To read the full story about lupus, please visit the Winnipeg Free Press.

Sara Kreindler, a professor of community health sciences at the University of Manitoba, spearheads the show, drawing from her extensive research.

“It’s about starting a conversation,” says writer-composer Kreindler, who has a PhD in social psychology. “Whether you’re a health-care provider or just someone curious about the system, I want viewers to come away feeling empowered to hold our elected leaders accountable for addressing the underlying issues.”

To read the full article about the musical, please visit the Winnipeg Free Press.

Urquia, who wasn’t involved with this study, has researched adverse birth outcomes among immigrants, as well as refugee maternal and perinatal health. He and his colleagues found that refugee mothers had higher maternal health risks and more adverse birth outcomes.

To read the full story, please visit Medscape Medical News.

UM Knowledge Exchange is an important opportunity for UM researchers to share emerging knowledge with members of the public and the wider UM community. UM Knowledge Exchange is hosted by the Office of the Vice-President (Research and International), with support from the UM Learning for Life Network.

Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide and in Canada. Heart attack and heart failure can happen at any age, leading to significant impacts to quality of life for patients and their families. New ground-breaking research from UM is seeking to provide specialized supports and treatment for women living with heart disease and explores the genetic roots of cell death to hopefully someday, reverse or prevent heart failure.

Moderator

Dr. Lorrie Kirshenbaum, Director, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences St. Boniface Hospital, Canada Research Chair in Molecular Cardiology, Professor, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

Panelists

Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin, Assistant Professor, Evelyn Wyrzykowski Family Professor in Cardiovascular Sciences, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

Dr. Shuangbo Liu, Assistant professor, Department of Internal Medicine and Department of Community Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

Dr. Brad Doble, Associate Professor and Bihler Chair in Stem Cell Research, Departments of Pediatrics and Child Health & Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

Heart Health and You February 28, 7pm-8:30pm (CDT) at Degrees Diner. UM Knowledge Exchange is a hybrid event with in-person and online options to attend.

Please register by February 23^rd to join the discussion.

Add Heart Health and You to your calendar. Coffee and other refreshments will be provided, and the kitchen at Degrees Diner will be open for specialty coffee and full food service. Parking is available with registration.

Or join us for online viewing 7 pm CDT to watch the live stream. Participate during the live session by asking your questions via email to: Research [dot] Communications [at] UManitoba [dot] ca

The seven-part UM Knowledge Exchange panel-discussion series is ongoing until May 2024. More details can be found on the UM Knowledge Exchange webpage.

“The more targeted programs you introduce, the more gaps you introduce into the system,” said Evelyn Forget, a professor of economics and community health sciences at the University of Manitoba. “The more gaps there are, the more opportunities there are for people to slide through.”

Senators also questioned whether a basic income would create a disincentive for Canadians to work.

Read here

Dr. Kristin Reynolds, director of the UM Health Information Exchange Lab, has been recognized with a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Aging Prize for her work to expand and evaluate a program that serves older adults.

The CONNECT Program was developed and launched in Manitoba in 2020 by Reynolds in collaboration with A&O: Support Services for Older Adults, as well as faculty and students from the UM departments of psychology, clinical health psychology and community health sciences, and Brandon University.

With the CONNECT Program, Reynolds seeks to support adults aged 65 and older who are experiencing loneliness and symptoms of anxiety and depression. CONNECT is an accessible, evidence-based group psychotherapy program offered by telephone. Reynolds will use the new CIHR support to add a virtual arm to the program and expand the network of service delivery partners nationally, to include organizations in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and British Columbia.

Reynolds is a clinical psychologist and associate professor of psychology, with an adjunct appointment in psychiatry in the Max Rady College of Medicine. She is also a research affiliate with the Centre on Aging and a research scientist with the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba. She was a 2022 recipient of the Terry G. Falconer Memorial Rh Emerging Researcher Award.

“I’m a Winnipegger, and I am grateful to have completed all of my training here at the University of Manitoba, from my bachelor of arts with honours in psychology to my MA and PhD, including my predoctoral residency, which I completed in the UM department of clinical health psychology,” says Reynolds.

“Throughout my graduate studies, specializing in aging and mental health, I came to understand how common mental health problems can be among older adults, the aversive relationship between loneliness and mental health, as well as the consequences of untreated mental health problems.

“I gained a deep appreciation for the importance of community initiatives and organizations in supporting mental health. In order to meet the mental health-related needs of Manitobans, integration of mental health services, including psychological supports, into the community is essential.”

The Health Information Exchange Lab includes undergraduate and graduate students in psychology and related disciplines. The lab aims to understand the unique health-related needs of key population groups and engages groups in the development and evaluation of resources and services to meet their unique needs.

Findings of Reynolds’ work highlight that the rate of mental health service use among older adults remains low, despite how common these issues have become. The team seeks to identify barriers to service use and co-develop resources to overcome them.

“To develop and deliver the CONNECT Program, we partnered with A&O: Support Services for Older Adults, which already offers a helpful telephone-based program for Manitobans called Senior Centre Without Walls,” says Reynolds.

“We’re hearing that the ease of access and the degree of anonymity offered by the telephone-based format of the CONNECT Program are important factors in reducing barriers to participation. There is a gap in this type of service offering across Canada, so the potential impact of expanding the program is significant.”

Reynolds’ lab, in collaboration with faculty in the UM department of clinical health psychology, has also developed an online, self-directed cognitive behavioural therapy program for pregnant and postpartum people called Overcoming Perinatal Anxiety. Both programs are grounded in the needs of the specific populations, including the psychological strategies that are most effective in addressing these challenges and the key barriers of service engagement to overcome.

“I congratulate Dr. Reynolds and the Health Information Exchange Lab team for achieving national recognition and support with this CIHR special prize,” says UM Vice-President (Research and International) Dr. Mario Pinto. “Dr. Reynolds’ rigorous approach has allowed the CONNECT Program to address the paramount concern of mental health among our aging population here in Manitoba, and now across Canada as well.”

Election to the RSC is considered the highest honour an academic can achieve in the arts, social sciences and sciences. The RSC’s mission is to recognize scholarly, research and artistic excellence, to advise governments and organizations and to promote a culture of knowledge and innovation in Canada and with other national academies around the world.

“The Royal Society of Canada is very proud to welcome today an imposing group of inspiring scholars, artists and creators whose peers have recognized their exceptional contributions to the world of science and culture and to the well-being of our society. The impact of their work will continue to be felt in the development of public policies for years to come, while adding greatly to the enrichment of public life,” said Alain-G. Gagnon, president of the RSC.

UM professors Rotimi Aluko, S. Michelle Driedger and Örjan Sandred have been named as new Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada and David Herbert has been elected as member of the RSC’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.

“Congratulations to the four scholars recognized today on this well-deserved honour from the Royal Society,” said Dr. Mario Pinto, UM Vice-President (Research and International). “They have demonstrated leadership in advancing their respective fields of nutrition, community health, renewable energy and the musical arts in Canada and around the world.”

 Royal Society Fellows:

Dr. Rotimi Aluko, department of food and human nutritional sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences

Rotimi Aluko is the Canada Research Chair in Bioactive Peptides and has gained international renown for breakthroughs in the value-added utilization of plant proteins. His current research program is focused on the development of natural food protein derivatives that can be used in the prevention and management of chronic human diseases.

Aluko was named a fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists in 2017 and currently serves as Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Functional Food Biochemistry. He served as national president of the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology from 2011 to 2012.

Dr. Michelle Driedger, department of community health sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine

Michelle Driedger studies public health risk communication and how public audiences are engaged to make informed decisions in conditions of uncertainty. She currently has several projects investigating COVID-19 immunizations with a keen interest in the needs and preferences of different groups.

Driedger works in close partnership with the Manitoba Metis Federation Health and Wellness Department to engage Métis youth in health promotion messaging. In this program youth are brought together with elders and Métis community members to learn traditional skills and explore health concerns of importance in their community.

Dr. Örjan Sandred, Desautels Faculty of Music

Örjan Sandred is a Professor of Composition and the director and founder of Studio FLAT, a computer music research and production studio at the Desautels Faculty of Music. Sandred’s works explore new artistic possibilities that arise from computer assisted composition techniques such as rule-based computing and live-electronic composition.

In 2022 Sandred was recognized with a Guggenheim Fellowship recognizing his ongoing work to further explore methods using artificial intelligence to control parts of the interaction between performers and a computer in music composition. Sandred’s music is available on Spotify, Sonic Trails (2020) and Cracks and Corrosion (2009).

Member of the RSC College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists:

Dr. David Herbert, department of chemistry, Faculty of Science

The Herbert research team uses synthetic chemistry to design molecules and materials for applications including in renewable energy and sustainable synthesis.

Herbert served as the inaugural Faculty of Science Research Chair in Fundamental Science (Physical Sciences) from 2019 to 2022. His work has been recognized many times including the 2022 Strem Award from the Canadian Society for Chemistry, the 2020 UM Merit Award and the 2017 Terry G. Falconer Rh Award.