Distinct Populations

Vulnerable Populations

Faculty member Ginetta Salvalaggio has continued leading research into improving care for structurally vulnerable populations, including people who use drugs and people experiencing homelessness.

Salvalaggio’s scholarly work maintains a strong focus on patient engagement: she invites patient advisors to be involved in her presentations whenever possible. Three patients with lived experience presented with her in the 2019/2020 academic year. The research team’s approach to patient engagement has led to recognition as a Best Practice Case Study in the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement’s Framework for Diversity in Patient Engagement.

Salvalaggio presented her research at Family Medicine Forum, the North American Primary Care Research Group, the National Conference to End Homelessness and the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine among others. She published four scientific papers on this research in high impact journals, serving as senior author and trainee mentor on two of the papers and as content lead for addictions in the field of homeless health on the other two. She has also been an investigator on three research projects receiving CIHR funding.

The Medically At-Risk Driver Centre (MARD)

MARD is a research and knowledge translation centre in the Department of Family Medicine. Our program of research and knowledge translation activities focus on the safety, mobility, and support of individuals who no longer drive due to illness or disability or those who choose not to drive because of age-related changes. Highlights of MARD’s work over the past year include assisting two rural regional areas of the province (West Yellow Head Region and the Sturgeon Region) in the development of an alternate transportation for seniors (ATS) service in their respective areas, updating MARD’s listing of ATS service providers in the province, comparing ATS service provision in the province between 2009 and 2018, continuing development of a provincial Community of Practice for ATS service providers, and developing the methodology for hosting videoconferences in 2021 to better understand the transportation demands and challenges in service provision during COVID-19. We also have continued our commitment to share the results of our research through our knowledge translation activities with our many partners. Please visit us at mard.ualberta.ca