Grant: Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA)

Dr. Caroline Variath is a Michael Smith Health Research BC Health Professional-Investigator and an assistant professor at Vancouver Island University and a palliative care nurse coordinator at Island Health. Her program of research focuses on health equity in the context of medical assistance in dying (MAiD) in Canada. While significant progress has been achieved in creating procedural pathways and clinician training since the legalization of MAiD in 2016, less developed aspects include public education, family support, social determinants of health, and a continuum of care. Research reveals that persons experiencing health inequities who request MAiD, often face challenges which are further compounded for those whose natural death is not foreseeable, as they do not meet the criteria for palliative care. An integrated community-based navigation program could provide insights into these gaps in care and facilitate targeted solutions. By leveraging both healthcare and community-based resources this program can offer ongoing and equitable access to holistic care to these patients. Using patient-oriented approaches, Dr. Variath's program comprises three interrelated projects. Project 1 seeks to understand the emotional and support needs of families of individuals in the MAiD program. Project 2 explores supportive care needs and available resources for individuals experiencing health and social inequities who have requested MAiD. Project 3 involves the development and evaluation of a pilot community based peer volunteer navigation program to provide ongoing support to MAiD patients facing health inequities and their families. At present, her team is engaged in Project 1 and Project 2 and is laying the groundwork for the development and implementation of Project 3.