Official-language minorities in Canada may face specific issues in accessing health care services that can lead to negative consequences on their health, utilization of health care services and satisfaction with the health care system. A secondary data analysis of the 2006 Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities revealed significant differences between the Anglophone minority (n=5,161) and the Francophone minority (n=12,029) with regards to general health, and access to and use of health care services. Important predictors of these outcomes included age, education level, household income, marital status and place of residence (urban/rural). Access to health care services in the minority language was associated with self-perceived health in the Anglophone minority only. Health policy recommendations elaborated in light of the findings include working on both the supply and the demand of health care services offered in the two official languages, while taking into consideration important contextual differences between regions.

The impact of global economic policies on health equity and social development has been well-documented and, in the current phase of economic globalization, profound health inequities have been attributed to these policies. In response to these inequitable trade conditions, which are especially pronounced in the trade of boom-and-bust commodities like coffee, alternative trade models such as Fair Trade have proliferated. Although there is great potential for these alternative economic policies to achieve health and gender equity, these considerations have largely been left out of existing analyses, which focus on gender-blind economic, organizational, and environmental indicators. <p>To address these omissions, this study explores the experiences, perceptions, and aspirations of an organized group of coffee-producing women with regards to Fair Trade. The study was conducted in Northern Nicaragua in 2009 and focuses on the experiences of women supported by a local feminist organization, la Fundación Entre Mujeres, in an embedded, single case study design. It is informed by participant-observation, interviews, and dialogic focus groups. The study situates participants perceptions and aspirations in a globalization and health framework as well as an empowerment framework. Considered in this light, womens experiences provide valuable insights about the perceived and potential health and gender impacts of alternative models of trade and provide a vision for the future directions of these models. <p>The womens experiences reveal that although valuable benefits are being experienced as a result of participation in Fair Trade especially in terms of a higher income and a commitment to organic agriculture there are lingering doubts as to whether Fair Trade is actually "fair" or simply "better". The women supported by la Fundación Entre Mujeres aspire to more equitable trade characterized by solidarity, justice, a focus on womens rights, and a fairer valuation and recognition of womens efforts inside and outside of coffee. In order to move towards this "fair" system of trade, the current Fair Trade model must become more oriented towards equitable control for all of its stakeholders and must broaden its definition of empowerment so as to more actively and vocally participate in the broader contexts of international trade that are influencing health and gender equity for women around the world.

Oral health is an important aspect of overall health, but many vulnerable populations such as migrant farmworkers are without access to oral healthcare. Although some non-government organizations such as faith-based organizations have attempted to fill gaps left by government and private sectors, a lack of a dental safety net creates limited access to oral health services for migrant farmworkers. Access to care is further constrained by structural factors including low wages, migration route, and high costs of care. Building off a critical medical anthropology approach in understanding oral healthcare access, I argue that limited oral health access for migrant workers in the Tampa Bay area is the result of economic constraints and not cultural beliefs or educational shortcomings. This research therefore demonstrates the social determinants of oral health, and how social disparities can become embodied in marginalized groups such as migrant farmworkers.

Preterm birth continues to be an important public health concern globally. Born only 3 to 6 weeks premature, findings increasingly demonstrate that the late preterm population (34-36 weeks gestational age) is not exempt from long-term risk, as the last few weeks of gestation are important for both physical and cognitive development. This study examined whether late preterm birth was associated with poorer health, development and educational outcomes in the early childhood period, after controlling for a range of medical and social factors. / February 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between residential segregation (the physical separation of Blacks and Whites in residential contexts) and adverse perinatal outcomes (low birth weight, preterm delivery and small for gestational age births) in Florida, Georgia and Louisiana. The study determined the independent effect of the level of residential segregation on the likelihood of adverse perinatal outcomes after controlling for contextual and individual factors. The study also assessed whether the relationship between residential segregation and adverse perinatal outcomes were moderated by ethnicity and median income.The studied employed an observational, cross-sectional study design that utilized secondary data. Live birth certificates between 1999 and 2001 provided information on individual covariates and perinatal outcomes. Structural indicators of residential segregation and contextual covariates were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau. Th e nested data structure for each birth outcome model was composed of individual, contextual, and structural data. Three-level, hierarchical generalized linear models were used to test research hypotheses.The study population consisted of non-Hispanic White and Black primaparous women between 15 and 49 years of age experiencing singleton live births delivered at less than or equal to 45 weeks gestation. The final sample consisted of 255,548 women nested within 4,360 census tracts and 63 Metropolitan or Micropolitan Statistical Areas. Residential segregation did not have a direct relationship with low birth weight, preterm delivery or small for gestational age, after controlling for other variables in multilevel models. Models testing the moderating effects of ethnicity indicated that increased Isolation decreased the risk of LBW among Black women. Several contextual --level variables and the majority of individual-level variables were significantly associated with perinatal outcome risk .Findings indicate that effects of residential segregation may be birth outcome and ethnic group specific. Relationships between individual factors, contextual factors and adverse perinatal outcomes signal the importance of proximal factors to perinatal outcomes. There is a need for specification of a broader constellation of biological, social and spatial factors and a thorough assessment of residential preferences and experiences in order to better understand the associations between neighborhoods and perinatal outcomes.

Bed bugs are making a large international comeback. While people from all economic and social backgrounds can experience a bed bug infestation, the social impacts on the lives of low-income people are potentially far greater given the condition of their living accommodations as well as the financial costs associated with dealing with an infestation. Utilizing the Community Economic Development and Social Determinants of Health approaches, this thesis argues that the experience of a bed bug infestation poses a significant threat to inner-city residents—economically, socially, and in terms of human health. Interviews with 16 inner-city residents, 2 landlords, 1 property manager, 2 By-Law Enforcement Officers, and 5 representatives of inner-city agencies in Winnipeg are drawn upon in developing this argument. In addition, relevant policy documents and other secondary sources are utilized to assess the effectiveness of policies and practices in place to respond to this issue and to offer a more comprehensive approach for responding to the social impacts of bed bugs in the city of Winnipeg.

It is well documented in the literature that Aboriginal peoples have a lower health status compared to the non-Aboriginal population in Canada. The underlining causes for this health disparity are found in the historical and contemporary practices of colonization and social, economic, and political deprivation. This thesis focuses on another of the complex factors which affect Aboriginal health status: the education and training provided to undergraduate medical students on Aboriginal health issues and the social determinants of health in British Columbia. I conducted a critical discourse analysis of the readings materials of three selected courses. I conclude from the analysis that although some of the themes covered by the courses critically present the historical, social and economic contexts for this health disparity, Aboriginal peoples are still characterized as a needy and sick population. Indigenous issues are far from being centrally positioned in the medical curriculum in British Columbia. / Graduate / 0326 / gabipere@hotmail.com

Official-language minorities in Canada may face specific issues in accessing health care services that can lead to negative consequences on their health, utilization of health care services and satisfaction with the health care system. A secondary data analysis of the 2006 Survey on the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities revealed significant differences between the Anglophone minority (n=5,161) and the Francophone minority (n=12,029) with regards to general health, and access to and use of health care services. Important predictors of these outcomes included age, education level, household income, marital status and place of residence (urban/rural). Access to health care services in the minority language was associated with self-perceived health in the Anglophone minority only. Health policy recommendations elaborated in light of the findings include working on both the supply and the demand of health care services offered in the two official languages, while taking into consideration important contextual differences between regions.

Bed bugs are making a large international comeback. While people from all economic and social backgrounds can experience a bed bug infestation, the social impacts on the lives of low-income people are potentially far greater given the condition of their living accommodations as well as the financial costs associated with dealing with an infestation. Utilizing the Community Economic Development and Social Determinants of Health approaches, this thesis argues that the experience of a bed bug infestation poses a significant threat to inner-city residents—economically, socially, and in terms of human health. Interviews with 16 inner-city residents, 2 landlords, 1 property manager, 2 By-Law Enforcement Officers, and 5 representatives of inner-city agencies in Winnipeg are drawn upon in developing this argument. In addition, relevant policy documents and other secondary sources are utilized to assess the effectiveness of policies and practices in place to respond to this issue and to offer a more comprehensive approach for responding to the social impacts of bed bugs in the city of Winnipeg.

It is well documented in the literature that Aboriginal peoples have a lower health status compared to the non-Aboriginal population in Canada. The underlining causes for this health disparity are found in the historical and contemporary practices of colonization and social, economic, and political deprivation. This thesis focuses on another of the complex factors which affect Aboriginal health status: the education and training provided to undergraduate medical students on Aboriginal health issues and the social determinants of health in British Columbia. I conducted a critical discourse analysis of the readings materials of three selected courses. I conclude from the analysis that although some of the themes covered by the courses critically present the historical, social and economic contexts for this health disparity, Aboriginal peoples are still characterized as a needy and sick population. Indigenous issues are far from being centrally positioned in the medical curriculum in British Columbia. / Graduate / 0326 / gabipere@hotmail.com