Patricia Spittal

PhD

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital
Head, Division of Health in Populations, School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Associate Director for Research, Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health

Globally, Indigenous leaders remain concerned about elevated rates of HIV and blood-borned infections among their young people, particularly those who use drugs and those affected by conflict. Further, addressing barriers to engagement in health care for these key populations remains an urgent global priority.

The Cedar Project involves young Indigenous people in Canada who use drugs at risk of and living with HIV and Hepatitis C. The Cango Lyec Project involves Acholi people in Northern Uganda at risk of or living with HIV in the aftermath of a long rebel-led civil war. These two CIHR-funded studies trace clear links between multigenerational cycles of distress and trauma with current impacts on risk behaviour, morbidity and mortality including HIV and other explosive epidemics. This work has been and continues to be done in full partnership with the respective communities to ensure that the research is relevant and that the findings are implemented.

Currently our team is focused on development of high-impact prevention and treatment approaches for those most adversely affected by HIV and other epidemics. These findings are expected to have significant impact on reducing health care inequities, with the ultimate aim of improving health care and outcomes in Canada and globally.