Contact
School of Public Health
- c.gillies@ualberta.ca
Overview
Area of Study / Keywords
Community health promotion Social and structural determinants of health Participatory approaches Qualitative methods Mixed methods
About
As an applied anthropologist, I conduct ethnographic, qualitative, and mixed methods research alongside communities to improve supportive environments for health. Currently, I am Lead Scientist in Cancer Prevention and Screening Innovation (CPSI), Provincial Population & Public Health (PPPH) at Alberta Health Services (AHS). In this role, I provide direction for applied research projects involving community- and settings-based health promotion initiatives that address risk factors for cancer and chronic disease and the social determinants of health more broadly.
Research
In my research, I focus on exploring and addressing the social and structural determinants of health (and health inequities) through community-based participatory research approaches and settings-based interventions. My experience has included:
- improving supportive environments for health in rural and urban contexts using a Healthy Communities approach,
- the development, implementation, and evaluation of school nutrition and pediatric asthma interventions,
- improving cultural competence in health care settings,
- critical reflection on health promotion values