Our neighbours are
dying.
Here is the data on who, where, and how.
Photo courtesy of Barry Gray, The Hamilton Spectator.
Who are we?
We are local healthcare providers who began collecting data on the deaths of people experiencing homelessness in the City of Hamilton in June 2021. Dr. Claire Bodkin is a family physician with HAMSMaRT and an Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster University, with a focus on the health of people who use drugs. Drs. Inna Berditchevskaia and Jessica Scott are internal medicine resident physicians at McMaster University. Gessie Stearns, MSW has several years experience working in housing and homelessness in the City of Hamilton. Dr. Jill Wiwcharuk, a family and emergency medicine physician who works primarily with people experiencing homelessness and people who use drugs, was also involved with the initiation of the project. Suraj Bansal is an undergraduate Health Sciences student at McMaster University and a research student with HAMSMaRT.
We have approval from the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board and are supported by community partners, including homeless shelters, community agencies and both Hamilton Health Sciences and St Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.
It is our goal that with information on contributors to death, targeted interventions can be initiated and strengthened to reduce mortality and improve health in people experiencing homelessness in our city.
In short, to make a difference, we need to know what is happening.
We have approval from the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board and are supported by community partners, including homeless shelters, community agencies and both Hamilton Health Sciences and St Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.
It is our goal that with information on contributors to death, targeted interventions can be initiated and strengthened to reduce mortality and improve health in people experiencing homelessness in our city.
In short, to make a difference, we need to know what is happening.
Questions? Contact us through the provided form.
Ethics approval and exemption letters available on request. |