MIHE brings together McMaster researchers across many disciplines to produce and mobilize knowledge on issues that affect health equity. Our current areas of focus are:
- Housing
- Income Security and Health
- Racism in Healthcare
We review these areas of focus periodically and the list will evolve over time.
Research Framework
The Institute is action-oriented, with a strong focus on knowledge mobilization. Drawing on models that conceptualize how research can inform the policy-making process, the Institute focuses on activities in several domains of activity:
- Discovery-based and agenda-setting research, with scholarly research and innovation directed towards the needs of knowledge users and policy-makers;
- Policy formulation, which involves developing policy options to address a problem;
- Policy decision-making, where research is used to assess policy options that will yield the best possible outcomes;
- Policy implementation, which may include building evidence-based tools to be used in the administration of a new program; and
- Evaluation, where policies and programs are evaluated for their effectiveness.
While the bulk of University activity is typically in the discovery and agenda-setting stage, there is considerable expertise at McMaster that can be brought to bear on the other activities to enhance the impact of research on health equity.