School of Public Health research works to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015 the United Nations Member States agreed to an agenda for people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership. At the heart of the universal agenda are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to be achieved by 2030.
The SDGs are global calls to action to end poverty and deprivation, while improving health and education, reducing inequality, encouraging economic growth and stability and protecting the planet.
These goals align with the principles and values of public health that seek to improve, protect and promote good health and well-being, equitably.
Our students are engaged in public health research and practise that advance the SDGs. Students in the master of science (MSc), master of arts in community engagement (MACE) and doctoral (PhD) programs complete research for their thesis-based degrees.
Master of public health (MPH) students participate in experiential learning opportunities through SPH 547 “Leadership and Professional Skills III and Capping Project.” In this core course, student teams work on a project with an external partner organization.
The following are just some examples of student research and projects with partner organizations that contribute to achieving the SDGs.
See how our faculty members are advancing the SDGs through their research.
Warda Javed (MSc student, Global Health)
Research focuses on the operationalization of social exclusion in a South Asian context, highlighting the role of the caste-system. Javed is studying the social construct of poverty and how social safety nets meant for the poor do not assist those with the greatest need due to their marginalization.
Rural Development Network (Agri-Food and Food Security)
Develop a guiding framework for future work within the agri-food and food security space in rural Alberta.
Dr. Olufunto (Funto) Adewusi (PhD candidate, Epidemiology)
Contributing to the development of genomic methods to inform antimicrobial stewardship in food animal livestock. This will support animal health and welfare in food producing animals.
Christine Neustaedter (MSc student, Epidemiology) and Dana Tschritter (MSc student, Epidemiology)
Working on risk assessment tools for antimicrobial resistant Campylobacter, a foodborne pathogen that can come from poultry. Work supports strategies to maintain a safe food supply. This work is funded by the AMR - One Health Consortium.
Jacob Narbonne (MSc student, Epidemiology)
Working on surveillance tools to support health and welfare in finfish aquaculture through antimicrobial stewardship.
Government of Alberta, Ministry of Seniors and Housing (Housing Division)
Develop a Well-Being Assessment Tool.
Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton
Assess readiness for, and plan implementation of, utilizing frailty assessments in community- based seniors-serving organizations.
Nana Ama Adjabeng (Andrews), MD (PhD student, Public Health)
Research seeks to explore the gaps and delays in care that contribute to Ghana’s high maternal and newborn mortality rate, highlighting which interventions have been instituted to improve it. Impact of these interventions will be evaluated and subsequently the most impactful intervention will be shared with policy makers for possible upscaling.
Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council, KTC Child & Family Society
Map existing services for children ages 0-21 in member Nations and identify gaps in services (no service available) or inadequate services (limited access, barriers to access, etc.).
Institute for Circumpolar Health Research
Complete a needs assessment and environmental scan to describe the health and wellness service needs of First Nations in Northwest Territories and identify gaps in health services that are currently available to NWT First Nations
Canadian Patient Safety Institute
Understand if the most vulnerable patient populations are receiving safe care and identify actions that should be implemented to keep those patients safe from harm.
Complete a detailed analysis of the state of child poverty in Alberta, and the creation of recommendations on public policies.
Deena Giri (MSc student, Health Promotion and Socio-behavioural Sciences)
Aims to apply a community-based participatory research approach to understand the facilitators and challenges faced by trans-femme young adults in achieving positive sexual health. Also focused on co-creating various arts-based materials for advocacy purposes and to reduce health disparities longer-term.
Alberta Refugee Health Coalition
Provide evidence-based recommendation(s) to overcome language barriers that refugees experience when accessing healthcare in Alberta.
Rural Development Network (Rural Immigration)
Map the available services for immigrants in the specified areas, analyzing the services to figure out the existing gaps, and developing a guide with information on rural service providers.
Heather Morris, RN, MN (PhD candidate, Health Services and Policy Research)
Working in partnership with two family advocacy organizations, mumsDU and Moms Stop the Harm, to better understand bereaved mother's use of media advocacy in shaping drug policy reform in Canada. In doing so Morris is working to support parent advocates’ efforts to promote evidence-based prevention, harm reduction and treatment interventions for substance use in Canada.
Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues
Increase health literacy among community league members to instill greater understanding of community leagues’ potential impact on health and wellness and their motivation to mobilize initiatives that make a positive difference to their communities.
Hannah Marcus (MSc student, Global Health)
Thesis work will involve qualitative interviewing of healthcare practitioners, local stakeholders, and community members based in Western Kenya's climate-vulnerable Lake Victoria Basin, to assess current progress achieved and potential local knowledge contributions to climate-sensitive waterborne disease prevention and control.
Jennifer Ann Brown (PhD candidate, Health Promotion and Socio-behavioural Sciences)
The Scoping Population Health in Impact Assessment (ScopHIA) research project identifies evidence-based best practices and principles to promote population health equity for Indigenous peoples and affected communities during federal reviews of major natural resource developments and large-scale infrastructure projects in Canada.