U of S Community Health Researcher Honoured with CIHR Award

November 22, 2006

Source: University of Saskatchewan
http://announcements.usask.ca/news/archive/2006/11/u_of_s_communit_1.html

Today University of Saskatchewan researcher Nazeem Muhajarine will receive a Knowledge Translation Award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) for his leadership in turning research results into policies and programs that help Saskatchewan's children.

The award, which carries with it a $20,000 stipend, is being presented tonight at CIHR's fifth annual Canadian Health Research Awards ceremony in Ottawa.

"Professor Muhajarine's work has revealed that families in our city and province face unusual economic and cultural challenges," said U of S Vice-President Research Steven Franklin. "His strategy of strongly partnering his team's program with decision makers allows the benefits of research to flow directly to the community."

Knowledge Translation awards honour and support researchers that make outstanding contributions to the health of Canadians by using research knowledge to improve health, to create more effective services and products, and to strengthen the health care system.

"Nazeem Muhajarine epitomizes the CIHR Knowledge Translation Award," said Dr. Alan Bernstein, President of CIHR. "By taking academic research, applying it to policy and successfully using it in the community, he is helping build healthier communities for Saskatchewan's children."

Muhajarine, a professor and head of the department of community health and epidemiology in the College of Medicine and a research faculty member of the Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit, works closely with community decision makers.

Understanding the Early Years, a study he co-leads with Sue Delanoy at Communities for Children, Saskatoon's planning council for a child and youth friendly community, has been particularly effective at influencing policy and practice. Their research findings have provided the impetus for initiatives such as Saskatoon Public Schools' Literacy for Life program and a pilot program to integrate child care facilities into schools. This study is funded by Human Resources and Social Development Canada.

"Working with Nazeem and his research team has been a great opportunity for Communities for Children to learn how to use research to further our program development and advocacy work for children in Saskatoon," said Delanoy. "And I know that many of our partners - the Saskatoon public and Catholic school boards, the Saskatoon Tribal Council, Saskatoon Health Region and the government of Saskatchewan - have found our work together really useful in their own planning."

Muhajarine is a driving force in the Community-University Institute for Social Research (CUISR), a successful partnership between community-based organizations and U of S faculty members and graduate students. Since its inception in 2000, CUISR research has looked at a broad range of issues, from child poverty to the social and economic importance of the Saskatoon Farmers' Market.

Other research led by Muhajarine, funded by the Canadian Population Health Initiative and Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, has guided policy makers among the provincial government and community groups and led to subsequent work together.

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For more information, contact:

Nazeem Muhajarine or Fleur Macqueen Smith
Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-7940 (Nazeem) or (306) 966-2957 (Fleur)
(306) 227-2982 (Nazeem cell)
nazeem.muhajarine@usask.ca
www.spheru.ca

Sue Delanoy or Jon Ellis
Communities for Children
(306) 956-1796 (office)
(306) 241-4952 (Sue cell)
uey@communitiesforchildren.net

Michael Robin
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2427
michael.robin@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research