Improving health through upstream social interventions

Research, education, and policy change

Get Involved Research

The Upstream Lab is a non-profit research lab based at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We are dedicated to improving health and well-being of the population through addressing issues related to social determinants of health.

Who We Are

What are the social determinants of health?

According to WHO, social determinants of health (SDOH) are non-medical factors that have an influence on our health, particularly the social and economic conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age. Some examples include income and social status, job insecurity, food insecurity, and education. SDOH also includes the wider system that can foster health inequity, such as discriminative policies and social norms, and historical trauma.

Our Research Streams

Integrating Health and Social Care

Interventions addressing social needs of individuals in healthcare settings.

Population Health Management

Interventions addressing social needs at community and policy levels.

Data to Enable a Learning Health System

Leveraging data and technology to improve the health systems.

Scientists

Our scientists lead research initiatives that tackle social determinants of health at multiple levels. Driven by our shared mission to advance health equity, we incubate novel interventions by integrating health and social care, population health management, leveraging data to enable proactive care, and conducting trials.

Our Collaborators

Community Members

Our lab works with many incredible and diverse individuals who provide valuable insights on our projects. Get to know some of our community advisory members.

Last chance to apply!

We are looking for a full-time permanent Research Data Analyst to join our team on PREPARED, focusing on EMR based surveillance data! Closing date: Oct 10th. See below:

https://gen-ezjf9k52wb5ac52e-prd.tam.ca1.inforcloudsuite.com/hcm/xmlhttp/shorturl.do?key=TS

Registration is OPEN for our research dissemination event on Oct 24 - "Advancing Equitable Pathways: Empowering Precarious Workers through Enhanced Social Protection and Healthcare Access in Canada and Peru"

Save your spot now! http://anita-empower-conference.eventbrite.ca

Our last session is on funding strategies and models to support the sustainability of APTs with Dr. @AndrewDPinto #APT2024

Dr. @LisaSchwartz224 presenting on participant engagement and implementing Good Participatory Practices in APTs #APT2024

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