In the latest edition of Sustainability in Action, hear from Christina Gillies, adjunct professor, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, and scientist, Provincial Population and Public Health, Alberta Health Services.
In her applied research, Christina collaborates with communities and other partners to develop, implement and evaluate initiatives to enhance supportive environments for health, improve health outcomes and reduce health inequities.
Sustainability in Action is a conversation series with U of A change makers whose research, programs or projects are turning the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals — or SDGs — into tangible results.
1. How do you describe your work to people who aren’t in your field?
In my work, I engage directly with communities and other partners to develop health initiatives that are contextually relevant, culturally appropriate and sustainable. I assess the effectiveness of health initiatives by collecting data with communities to determine “what works,” for whom, how and why. In doing so, I aim to co-create health initiatives that are not only scientifically sound but also responsive to the unique priorities, beliefs, and strengths of communities.
2. Which SDG(s) does your work primarily address and in what ways?
My work primarily focuses on addressing SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, which aims to promote and support healthy lives for all people. My current work focuses on reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases through prevention and health promotion.
For instance, my team and I are adapting the Alberta Healthy Communities Approach alongside urban communities, who have formed diverse and inclusive groups and are taking local action to address social and economic factors that influence equitable health outcomes. By creating supportive environments and building community capacity, this approach supports prevention of cancer and chronic disease and encourages good health and well-being more broadly.
My research has also worked towards SDG 2: Zero Hunger and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities by promoting and supporting access to nutritious, affordable and culturally appropriate foods for equity-denied populations including Indigenous Peoples and immigrant women. Currently, I am fortunate to collaborate with First Nation community partners to co-create an evaluation framework for a community gardening initiative which aims to support cultural revitalization, intergenerational healing and improved health outcomes.
3. Can you share a moment when you saw the direct impact of your work on advancing the SDGs?
As a doctoral student, I collaborated closely with a First Nation community to evaluate a local school nutrition policy by learning from students, parents and Elders. This work met the needs of the local education department, improved the school’s nutrition environment and built upon existing capacity for research and evaluation within the community. This experience reinforced the importance of community-based participatory research, as I could see our collective work contributing to positive and sustainable change in real time. It was also a strong example of decolonizing research and evaluation, which advanced SDGs 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
4. What partnerships or collaborations have you formed to enhance the impact of your work?
Community engagement and participatory research are particularly important to me, and I’ve had the great pleasure of learning from and working alongside community organizations, such as the Multicultural Health Brokers Co-op (MCHB) and a First Nation community research committee. These partnerships have allowed me to collaborate directly with community members to understand their priorities and, together, design relevant and sustainable health initiatives.
My team and I also form interdisciplinary and intersectoral partnerships to develop innovative initiatives for health promotion and cancer and chronic disease prevention. These partnerships are invaluable as they lead to more comprehensive, effective and sustainable solutions to community-identified priorities. For example, working collaboratively with diverse public health professionals, community-based organizations, municipalities and external partners (such as the Centre for Healthy Communities) has helped to inform and sustain the Alberta Healthy Communities Approach in rural communities and transition the approach into a province-wide initiative.
5. Was there a person, initiative or event that inspired you to pursue work that contributes to sustainable development?
While working as a research assistant, I witnessed how differences in opportunities for good health that were based on social, cultural, and economic factors could affect equitable health outcomes. I was motivated to continue learning about why these differences exist and how I could use my position of privilege to help address them. My graduate and doctoral supervisors, Helen Vallianatos and Noreen Willows, were instrumental in helping me to grow as a community-based researcher and understand critical issues related to food, nutrition and health. Along with community members, they inspired me to continue to pursue work that addresses the root causes of health inequities.
6. Why is it important to advance sustainability or work on the SDGs?
Health inequities persist and continue to widen as certain populations remain disproportionately affected by social, economic, environmental and structural barriers to achieving good health. While undeniably challenging, it is important to advance work on the SDGs to reduce the burden of chronic disease as well as inequities in health outcomes. I find hope in knowing that there are so many creative, bold and enthusiastic individuals driving progress on the intersecting SDGs within and outside the university community.
7. What's next for you?
I am committed to continuing to learn with and from community partners and engage in applied research to build the evidence on health initiatives that improve health and well-being for all. I am particularly interested in further learning about and supporting community-led food security and food sovereignty initiatives in the pursuit of health equity.
About Christina
Christina Gillies is an adjunct professor in the School of Public Health and a scientist in Provincial Population and Public Health, Alberta Health Services. Her work bridges the gap between scientific public health research and the lived experiences of communities with a focus on improving equitable health outcomes through culturally and socially appropriate, effective and sustainable health initiatives. View Christina’s ORCID.
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Does your work help advance the SDGs? Email sdgcomms@ualberta.ca to let us know and we may feature it in an upcoming edition of Sustainability in Action. Find more SDG inspiration on the SDG Info Hub.
