Population & Community Based Research

This unit comprises a diverse team of researchers who are involved in population-based studies, particularly in areas of prevention and health promotion.

Research programs and interests include:

  • Diagnostic, prevention, and intervention in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
  • Program evaluation and community-based participatory research
  • Evidence-based practice as it applies to health-related quality of life
  • Maternity care: Changing attitudes of obstetricians, family physicians, nurses, midwives, doulas and the women they serve toward central issues in maternity care; and the role of maternity care in sustainable community development
  • Integrative approaches in understanding determinants of behavioural and environmental change from an ecological perspective
  • Innovative models of care and service organizations for children and youth with disabilities and other complex chronic health conditions
  • Study of evidence-based practice in the care of children with developmental conditions and their outcomes
  • The impact of chronic disease on the quality of life of children and youth

More details below.

Diagnostic, prevention, and intervention in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Sterling Clarren
Email: sclarren@cw.bc.ca

  • Focused diagnostic criteria using Canadian normative data
  • Improved methods for primary prevention
  • Development of interventive services for adolescence and adults

Program evaluation and community-based participatory research

Anne George
Email: ageorge@cw.bc.ca

  • Focus of health issues during pregnancy, including prevention of alcohol and tobacco use
  • New Canadian Children and Youth Study (NCCYS): health and well-being of children whose families are immigrants and refugees to Canada
  • Working to improve community-based research through greater access to ethics review

Evidence-based practice as it applies to health-related quality of life

Anne Klassen
Email: aklassen@cw.bc.ca

  • Developing, validating, and using patient-assessed health instruments to measure health outcomes in clinical and population-based studies
  • Caregiver health and well-being
  • Systematic reviews
  • Children & youth disability in society

Changing attitudes of obstetricians, family physicians, nurses, midwives, doulas and the women they serve toward central issues in maternity care; the role of maternity care in sustainable community development

Michael Klein
Email: mklein@interchange.ubc.ca

  • How rapidly changing birth attitudes contribute to steeply rising intervention rates in maternity care
  • Link between maternity care in rural and remote communities and the well-being or sustainability of the community itself

Integrative approaches in understanding determinants of behavioural and environmental change from an ecological perspective

Louise Mâsse
Email: lmasse@cw.bc.ca

  • Determinants of behaviour change as it relates to physical activity and nutrition behaviours
  • Developing a framework evaluating the impact of policies on children's physical activity and nutritional behaviours in the school environment

Innovative models of care and service organizations for children and youth with disabilities and other complex chronic health conditions

Anton Miller
Email: amiller@cw.bc.ca

  • Examination of data on how stimulant medications are prescribed and used with children in the general population
  • Survey studies of family physicians and pediatricians on issues regarding care of children and youth with behavioural and emotional problems and chronic issues
  • Study of parents' experiences and perceptions of health care and continuity of care for their children with chronic health problems and disabilities
  • Children & Youth Disability in Society – a new program in collaboration with Dr. Maureen O'Donnell

Study of evidence-based practice in the care of children with developmental conditions and their outcomes

Maureen O'Donnell
Email: modonnell@cw.bc.ca

  • Study of health systems and services for children with developmental disabilities
  • Pain in children with developmental disabilities
  • Adolescent motor development study and interventions affecting motor development
  • Caring for caregivers of children with cerebral palsy: caregiver health and well-being
  • Children & Youth Disability in Society – a new program in collaboration with Dr. Anton Miller

The impact of chronic disease on the quality of life of children and youth

Lori Tucker
Email: ltucker@cw.bc.ca

  • Health related quality of life (HRQL) of children with chronic illness as rheumatic diseases including juvenile idiopathic arthritis and lupus erythematosus
  • Comparison of physical and psychosocial health status of chronic diseases in children and youth (diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, epilepsy, juvenile arthritis, and cystic fibrosis) to determine impact on HRQL
  • Pathways to pediatric subspecialty care for children with chronic illness in British Columbia – study of barriers to appropriate referral, diagnosis, and treatment, with an initial pilot project focused on pediatric rheumatic diseases