Grant: Operating Grant: Programmatic Grants to tackle health and health equity - LOI

There are growing inequities in cardiovascular health among Canadians. Canadians living in certain parts of Ontario, such as Northern and Southwestern Ontario, have twice the rate of death and hospitalization from heart disease and stroke, as those living in other parts of Ontario, such as Toronto, for reasons that are uncertain. These areas with higher rates of death and hospitalization are known as hot spots. Canadians of different ethnic backgrounds also appear to suffer from heart disease at very different rates, with South Asians having relatively high rates and Chinese having relatively low rates of disease. The purpose of this program of research is to discover the factors that are contributing to these differences, so that we can develop more heart healthy and stroke free communities in Ontario. We will assemble and analyze information from over 15 different databases covering the whole population of Ontario, over 12 million residents, to conduct this research. We will study how the characteristics of different communities, such as smoking laws, availability of parks and recreational opportunities, price of healthy food, in Ontario might increase or decrease the risk of developing or dying from heart disease or stroke. Once we have discovered the reasons for these inequities, we will work with the identified communities and our partners, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, Ontario and Canadian Stroke Networks, to develop population and public health interventions so that we can reduce the burden of heart disease and stroke for all Canadians.