Who we are
It’s a clear vision embarked upon by the O’Brien Institute for Public Health at the University of Calgary — seeking to improve our health system and keep people healthy
Organizational Enablers:
Community
We are one community that supports each other.
Partnership
We foster strong relationships with health practitioners, citizens, governments, businesses, and non-governmental organizations to maximize our impact.
Funding
We establish diverse and effective funding programs to support our people.
Programs and services
We allocate resources towards achieving research excellence and public health impact.
History
The O'Brien Institute for Public Health is the newest University of Calgary research Institute within the Cumming School of Medicine.
The Institute came into existence in 2010 as a partnership between the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services (AHS), and was originally named the Calgary Institute for Population and Public Health.
Why we're here
Some believe that health outcomes are determined by what individuals do or don’t do for their own wellbeing. The O’Brien Institute for Public Health sees it differently.
Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) are key predictors of health outcomes throughout an individual's lifetime. These social determinants include income level, education and employment opportunities, as well as race and gender equity. With a keen understanding of the impact of SDoH on health outcomes, the Institute embraces a cross-sectoral approach to research with the goal of improving population health for individuals in our communities and beyond.
Impacting policy and policy makers
The O’Brien Institute is dedicated to ensuring that the knowledge generated by members is brought into the public sphere to impact decision-makers at all levels of government. Below are just a handful of ways our members' research has moved the needle on the issues that matter to Canadians.
- Cannabis legalization: Institute members provided expertise on a public health-focused implementation of cannabis legalization, including at the Cannabis Legalization in Canada public forum, attended by members of the public, government officials, health care practitioners and researchers. Presentations from this event were requested by a member of the Senate, who served as the sponsor to the Senate for Bill C-45, the Act to legalize cannabis.
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Canada's new Food Guide: Together with the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, the Institute hosted a two-day forum to examine Canada’s revamped food guide, the federal government’s national food strategy, and explore opportunities in policy to increase access to nutritious foods in schools, restaurants and markets.
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Provincial election: Ahead of the 2019 provincial election, the Institute partnered with the Alberta Public Health Association (APHA) to host an all-party candidate’s forum, tackling public health issues, including immunization, safe consumption sites, food insecurity, and questioning candidates on their relevant views and party platforms.
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Children's health: The Institute developed a report for Children First Canada to paint a high-level picture of the health status of children across Canada, both mental and physical, using readily available and reputable sources of data. This longitudinal collaboration resulted in the production of research, policy documents and presentations to the Senate. Read the story in UToday.