Author: Samira Prasad

Dr. Andrew Pinto spoke with CBC News about his research into the COVID-19 medication, Paxlovid. “We definitely continue to need more research on what treatments actually work for COVID in the acute phase, and we still don’t have that evidence,” says Dr. Pinto.

On April 16, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions announced the winners of the 2024 MAP Awards: Lena Soje, Anne-Marie Tynan, and Linwei Wang. These annual awards recognize three outstanding MAP staff, students or volunteers who have excelled in their roles and demonstrate a passion and commitment to applying MAP’s values in their work.

Lena Soje (she/her), Research Assistant on Dr. Sean Rourke’s team, is the winner of the MAP Community Partnership Award, awarded to an individual who consistently models exemplary community partnership practices and integration of the perspectives of community and people with lived expertise into their research. Lena plays an essential and pivotal role in coordinating the I’m Ready Peer Navigators program. Members of her team shared that “Lena approaches every interaction with understanding and compassion, making individuals feel heard, present and valued. At the same time, [she] fearlessly stands up for what is right, advocating for equity, justice, and inclusivity in all aspects of her work.”

Linwei Wang (she/her), Senior Data Scientist on Dr. Sharmistha Mishra’s team, is the winner of the MAP Peer Mentor Award, an award to honour an individual who works hard to help colleagues learn, feel valued, and do well at work. Linwei’s colleagues shared that she “never misses a chance to elevate and bring to our attention the important contributions of all team members” and that “she is always ready to guide and answer questions, and her willingness to share her own experiences has made her an invaluable resource to learn from.”

Anne-Marie Tynan (she/her), Research Manager on Dr. Rick Glazier’s team, is the winner of the MAP Values in Practice Award, an award to recognize an individual who exemplifies and advocates for MAP values in their work and interactions. Her team shared that “she takes the time to listen to her team members and ensures that everyone’s voice is heard and valued. Her actions reflect a genuine belief in the importance of diversity and inclusivity, setting a positive example for all of us.” Another colleague noted, “Anne-Marie is always there ready to help and solve seemingly unsolvable problems.”

Congratulations to the winners, and to all of the 2024 MAP Award nominees!

The prevalence of dementia among homeless people is almost twice as high as that in housed populations in Ontario, Canada, according to the results of a new study. Dr. Stephen Hwang spoke with Medscape about how research may underestimate the magnitude of the problem of dementia among homeless people. “Often, people experiencing homelessness don’t have extensive contact with the healthcare system, and so their condition may go undiagnosed,” said Dr. Hwang.

Premature deaths related to opioids in Canada doubled between 2019 and 2021, with more than one-in-four deaths among young adults aged 20–39 years, according to new research lead by Dr. Tara Gomes. She spoke with Hospital News about the findings and calls for targeted harm reduction policy. “Without adequate investments in widespread, accessible treatment and harm-reduction programs, and broader social supports like housing, these preventable deaths are having devastating effects on communities across the country,” says Dr. Gomes.

Opioid-related deaths doubled in Canada between 2019 and the end of 2021. The data shows a drastic jump amongst men in their 20s and 30s. Dr. Tara Gomes spoke with The Canadian Press about these findings from her most recent study.

The Toronto Star spoke with Dr. Tara Gomes about a new study published in CMAJ which looks at opioid overdose deaths across Canada between 2019 and 2021. The data showed that opioids were responsible for one in every four deaths among young adults between the ages of 20 and 39 during this time.

Dr. Sean Rourke recently spoke with the Toronto Star about the federal government’s decision to discontinue funding for HIV self-test kits in Canada. This comes during an alarming rise in positive HIV cases across the country.

Sudbury.com covered new MAP research looking at the differences between ethno-racial groups in Ontario when looking at circumstances surrounding opioid overdose deaths. The study, lead by PhD candidate Tonya Campbell, also looked at access to addiction services and harm reduction.

A small number of homeless patients make thousands of emergency room visits. Dr. Carolyn Snider and Dr. Stephen Hwang spoke with The Globe and Mail about the work being done to support people experiencing homelessness in the emergency department and cold weather-related injury research.

Lead author Tonya Campbell

Tonya Campbell, PhD candidate at MAP, spoke with the Toronto Star about new research highlighting the disproportionate impact that opioid overdoses are having on Black, Asian and Latin American drug users. “These findings highlight that more research is needed to understand the crisis among racialized people, and they also emphasize that racialized communities need to have these long overdue conversations around drug use and surrounding stigma,” says Campbell.