Social Determinants

562 articles:
Inequity
Indigenous
LGBTQ
Gender
Disability
Racism
by Lori Dunne

The cost of caring: Social worker well-being and fair compensation

As social workers we are often expected to put our needs last, while accepting an income that fails to reflect the true value of our work. We need to change the social work discourse and change the landscape in which we are expected to work.
by Colleen Kelly

Kevin’s story: My journey with my brother, dementia and Down Syndrome

Across the country, we talk about dementia more than we used to, but too often, conversations remain fragmented - and people with disabilities are rarely at the centre of planning.

by Anu Radha Verma

‘Dangerous outcomes’: The limitations of BMI as a diagnostic tool

Researchers, clinicians and advocates have been raising concerns about the BMI, saying it is not a comprehensive indicator of health and using it can have disastrous results, especially for racialized populations.
by Chetan Mehta

From harm reduction to harm production: A frontline physician on the closure of safe consumption sites

The closure of safe consumption sites in Ontario flies in the face of scientific evidence and my experiences as a physician on the frontlines.

by Laura Targownik

Alberta has restricted access to gender based medical care for trans youth. Will the rest of Canada soon follow?

If clinicians cannot demonstrate who is most likely to benefit from pediatric gender-based care, governments may do it for them, with young people paying the price.

by Keerthana Pasumarthi

Where two worlds meet: The importance of cultural sensitivity in medicine

"I felt not like a physician but more like an interpreter – not of language, but of the space between two worlds: Western medicine and the cultural practices that shaped Lakshmi and Prakash’s life."
by Maria Blondin

‘When doctors stop talking, patients fall apart’

When care is fragmented, patients become the glue holding the system together. We carry test results from one office to another, retell our histories again and again, and hope that someone will connect the dots before something important is missed.
by Haya Alnashi

The colonial wounds on Indigenous women’s health

To improve Indigenous women’s health, there must be a drastic change to the health-care system and how we view health.
by Madhumitha Rabindranath

Entschuldigung, ich spreche kein Deutsch! A reflection on my clinical exchange

One medical student's exchange in Berlin taught her not only about German culture, but how language and other support services can be offered in Canadian hospitals.

by Maddi Dellplain

‘A lot of work to do, one conversation at a time’: New Year’s resolutions for 2026

With changes reverberating throughout our health-care system, we wanted to know what health-care experts planned to focus on for themselves in the year ahead.
by Maddi Dellplain

Dreaming of a bold and courageous health-care system for all

It's that special time of year again: The time when Healthy Debate asks health-care experts to share their one holiday wish for our health-care system.

by Rida Ghani

No, women aren’t supposed to hurt: Misconceptions about reproductive health have serious consequences

If Canada is committed to gender equity and universal health coverage, then we must address the fact that young women’s pain too often goes unheard, not because they are silent, but because the world taught them to be.
by James Rodgers

‘The war against dogs continues’: How 150 years of policy denied animal control to Indigenous communities

Unequal access to pet care in rural and Indigenous communities has led to dogs being shot when they pose a risk to the public. A century and a half of policies that have left these communities without animal-control systems are to blame.

by Miranda Schreiber

‘Things went horribly wrong’: Patient advocates spreading the word about dangers of Botox

Much of the conversation about Botox centres on whether it looks good or bad, or if getting it can be considered a “feminist” choice. Less attention has been given to the fact that research indicates that one in six patients who are injected with Botox experiences adverse effects from the procedure.
by Neelam Punjani Amber Hussain

Queering the curriculum: Sexual orientation and gender identity in Canadian comprehensive sexuality education

Comprehensive sexual education plays a vital role in equipping young people with knowledge about their bodies, identities, rights and relationships. But access remains uneven across the country.

by Homira Osman Stacey Lintern Danielle Campo McLeod

Fail-first drug rules defy logic, deny timely access for people with rare diseases

Despite the recent approval of targeted biologics that can significantly improve quality of life, Canadians living with Myasthenia Gravis continue to face unjust policy barriers.

by W. Glen Pyle Sofia B. Ahmed

Canada needs a women’s health strategy: Lives depend on it

The path forward to prioritizing women’s health and well-being must be laid by Canadians whose voices propel political, social and economic change around the world.
by Emily Foucault Jess Taylor-Calhoun

The words we use: Why inclusive language in health care is about safety

Inclusive language is a living practice. Let’s treat it that way – with care, intention and the humility to keep learning.
by Laura Targownik

I used to envy socially transitioned trans kids for having the childhood I never had. Now I am not so certain.

While more research will continue to provide useful information on how socially transitioned children manage through their adolescence and adulthood, it will never be able to answer whether transitioning is the best choice for any gender-variant child.

by Maddi Dellplain

AI and the mental health crisis: Can chatbots fill the gap?

Canadians are increasingly turning to AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, for mental health support. But is this type of technology truly up to the task?

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