Grant: Catalyst Grant: Analysis of CLSA Data - IMHA

Patients with arthritis have different health outcomes, many of which are because of factors out of their control, such as their race, sex, gender identity, or age, to name a few. It is important to think of how these factors (social determinants of health), can individually affect outcomes, as well as how they can interact to affect outcomes. Our research will investigate relationships between these social determinants of health and how they impact arthritis. Using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging (CLSA), we will first map CLSA variables to social determinants of health. We will then explore relationships between these mapped variables. We will also identify distinct groups of people with arthritis according to different social determiants of health. By doing this, we can understand whether these groups experience arthritis differently and if certain factors are associated with worse arthritis outcomes. Our research team consists of experts from various fields, including health researchers, clinician-scientists, and patient research partners. Importantly, our team is diverse and includes members who represent the communities we aim to better understand through our research. The significance of our research lies in addressing health disparities among arthritis patients. To ensure that all arthritis patients receive equitable care and support, we need to understand how social determinants of health interact and contribute to the burden of arthritis.