Can having a pet improve your health? Ask any pet owner with a close relationship to their dog or cat and you’ll probably get a resounding “Yes!” Many researchers will also tell you that the scientific findings regarding the association between having pets and health look pretty positive. Links have been found between owning pets and multiple aspects of physical and mental well-being, including (Kramer, Mehmood, & Suen, 2019), better heart health (Mubanga et al., 2017), better sleep and exercise habits (Headey, Na, & Zheng, 2008), and less loneliness (Stanley, Conwell, Bowen, & Van Orden, 2013).

While the scientific literature on pets and health is promising, a closer look reveals that the story isn’t always consistent. Some studies have been unable to detect links between owning an pet and key health outcomes (Wright, Kritz-Silverstein, Morton, Wingard, & Barrett-Connor, 2007), and some researchers have even found that owning a pet can predict negative health outcomes (Koivusilta & Ojanlatva, 2006). Some of the inconsistencies can probably be traced back to variations in the way studies were conducted, but it might also be that different individuals and social groups experience pet ownership differently. In other words, there could be key social, psychological, and even biological factors that influence how much (or little) benefit people get out of sharing their lives with animals. The goal of our research was to move beyond just asking whether or not pets are good for our health, to focus instead on characteristics that might alter this relationship. For example, is a pet’s presence enough, or does the strength of the bond matter? Does having a supportive social network affect the way you feel about your pet? Do stressful life circumstances (like illness, homelessness, or poverty) change our relationships with animals and how important they are for our health?

At the same time as we try to better understand the psychosocial factors that contribute to the benefits of pet ownership, a growing body of research has converged on oxytocin (a hormone known for its role in stress reduction, bonding, and many other social behaviours) as a possible major biological player in our interactions with animals. Prior studies have shown that oxytocin levels in our body change in the presence of a friendly animal, particularly when it’s an animal we’ve bonded with (Handlin et al., 2011). Oxytocin appears to impact our brain and body’s stress response, potentially connecting positive social behaviours (like turning to a friend for help) to the reduction of distress (Heinrichs, Baumgartner, Kirschbaum, & Ehlert, 2003). Differences in genes that are responsible for oxytocin functioning appear to impact the way we relate to others on a social level, including how we pursue and respond to social support (Chen et al., 2011; Kim et al., 2010). If bonds with cats and dogs are similar to bonds with people, could genetic variation in our oxytocin system similarly affect human-animal relationships?

To explore these questions, we conducted a series of studies that combined survey measures (assessing emotional attachment to pets and facets of human health & well-being) with genetic analysis. By isolating DNA from saliva samples, we were able to look at small variations known as (or SNPs) in oxytocin-related genes and test for links between people’s genetics and their survey responses.

The research began in the fall of 2017 when we rented booth space at the Ottawa Pet Expo, a weekend event for pet enthusiasts. While there, we gathered survey responses and saliva samples from 100+ pet owners—mostly people with dogs and cats but a few with other types of animals. In a second study, we set up our booth at public locations around Ottawa and repeated this procedure; this time we also encouraged participation from non-pet owners as a comparison group. Finally, our third study took place at events organized by , an organization that provides free veterinary care for low-income, marginally housed community members in Ottawa. Gathering data from these different populations allowed us to look at how the role of pets might differ based on personal circumstances.

As soon as we began analyzing the data, the results challenged our assumptions. We had predicted that strong feelings of attachment towards a pet would be linked to improved mental well-being, but in fact an opposite pattern emerged – in all three groups, participants who were more strongly bonded to their animals were also more likely to report experiencing poorer well-being, including more symptoms of depression, loneliness, and lower feelings of social connection. Strong attachment to pets was also associated with being more likely to have a physical illness.

What could these results mean? While it’s possible that strong emotional ties with an animal directly negatively impact human well-being (perhaps because caring for a pet might strain time and financial resources), we believe that it’s more likely that when people are highly emotionally stressed (depressed, lonely, or socially isolated), they may be more likely to turn to their pets for comfort. Some evidence for this possibility exists in the form of research showing that many pet owners view their animals as unique and important sources of support, especially when they are strongly attached to their pet (Meehan, Massavelli, & Pachana, 2017). If people are turning to their pets as a way of coping with things like stress and loneliness, this could explain why animal relationships are often so important to people who are isolated or socially marginalized, like older adults and individuals who are homeless. In fact, in our own research, we found that participants who were living with poverty and housing insecurity were especially likely to say that they were highly attached to their pets.

We also found that a SNP of the oxytocin receptor gene was linked to owning a pet. Results from a large twin study released earlier this year suggested that a tendency towards having animals (in this case, dogs) might be (Fall, Kuja-Halkola, Dobney, Westgarth, & Magnusson, 2019), which makes this a particularly interesting finding. However, the relatively small number of participants in our own study means that this finding should be taken with a grain of salt; repeating this research with a larger group would be one way to check if the association is meaningful or not.

As with any study, it’s important to remember that lots of different factors might have affected the results, including when and where we gathered data, who was motivated to take part in the research, and how we chose to measure things like attachment and well-being. While our findings were unexpected, the takeaway from this research is not that we should ignore pets and their role in human health—these are important phenomena that need to be studied and explored, especially when pets seem to be so important to so many people. But as with research into any interesting human behaviour, the relationships between pet ownership, emotional bonds with animals, and health & well-being are bound to be complex. Learning more about these links will be challenging, but worthwhile.

References:

Chen, F. S., Kumsta, R., Dawans, B. v., Monakhov, M., Ebstein, R. P., & Heinrichs, M. (2011). Common oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) polymorphism and social support interact to reduce stress in humans. PNAS USA, 108(50), 19937-19942.

Fall, T., Kuja-Halkola, R., Dobney, K., Westgarth, C., & Magnusson, P. (2019). Evidence of largegenetic influences on dog ownership in the Swedish twin registry has implications forunderstanding domestication and health associations. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 7554-7.

Handlin, L., Hydbring-Sandberg, E., Nilsson, A., Ejdebäck, M., Jansson, A., & Uvnäs-Moberg, K. (2011). Short-term interaction between dogs and their owners: Effects on oxytocin, cortisol, insulin and heart rate—An exploratory study. Anthrozoös, 24(3), 301-315.

Headey, B., Na, F., & Zheng, R. (2008). Pet dogs benefit owners’ health: A ‘natural experiment’ in  China. Social Indicators Research, 87(3), 481-493.

Heinrichs, M., Baumgartner, T., Kirschbaum, C., and Ehlert, U. (2003). Social support and oxytocin interact to suppress cortisol and subjective responses to psychosocial stress. Biological  Psychiatry, 54, 1389–1398.

Kim, H. S., Sherman, D. K., Sasaki, J. Y., Xu, J., Chu, T. Q., Ryu, C., . . . Taylor, S. E. (2010). Culture, distress, and oxytocin receptor polymorphism (OXTR) interact to influence emotional support  seeking. PNAS USA, 107(36), 15717-15721.

Koivusilta, L. K., & Ojanlatva, A. (2006). To have or not to have a pet for better health? PloS °ż˛Ôąđ,Ěý1(1), e109.

Kramer, C. K., Mehmood, S., & Suen, R. S. (2019). Dog ownership and survival: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

Mubanga, M., Byberg, L., Nowak, C., Egenvall, A., Magnusson, P. K., Ingelsson, E., . . .  Institutionen för kirurgiska vetenskaper. (2017). Dog ownership and the risk of cardiovascular  disease and death – a nationwide cohort study. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 1-9.

Stanley, I. H., Conwell, Y., Bowen, C., & Van Orden, K. A. (2014). Pet ownership may attenuate loneliness among older adult primary care patients who live alone. Aging & Mental Health, 18(3), 394-399.

Wright, J. D., Kritz-Silverstein, D., Morton, D. J., Wingard, D. L., & Barrett-Connor, E. (2007). Pet ownership and blood pressure in old age. Epidemiology, 18(5), 613-618.

The issue: Loneliness and social isolation among older adults.

Social isolation and loneliness are two issues that have been identified as common among older adults, including those living in long-term care (LTC) or retirement homes (Theurer et al., 2015). Indeed, estimates may be as high as half of all residents feeling lonely (Drageset, Kirkevold, & Espehaug, 2011). While loneliness is a subjective feeling often entailing a sense of despair, social isolation can be more objectively measured, for example by taking into account the frequency with which someone has contact with another person. However, both loneliness and social isolation can have negative impacts on health and well-being. Social isolation has been associated with lower life satisfaction (Hawthorne, 2006). Likewise, loneliness has been linked to higher levels of depression and even increased rates of mortality (Holt-Lunstad, Smith, & Layton, 2010).

One way to reduce social isolation and loneliness is through intervention programs that aim to help older adults build peer supports and social relationships, which in turn, can foster social engagement and social group identification. Some examples of such interventions are support groups, music-based interventions, reminiscence therapy, and video-conferencing (Landeiro, Barrows, Nuttall Musson, Gray, & Leal, 2017; Theurer et al., 2015). In contrast, passive care (i.e., activities that do not require residents to actively engage but instead solely be recipients of care) may be associated with increased feelings of loneliness and depression in older adults (Theurer et al., 2015). Indeed, a study conducted with socially isolated, older adults demonstrated that peer support—provided by the other residents and facilitated by a trained activities director—helped to improve physical health, lowered rates of depression, and increased social functioning (Kim, 2012). Another recent study also suggested that peer support may be associated with reducing the number of hospital readmissions among older adults with chronic medical illnesses and depression (Conner et al., 2018). Taken together, this research suggests that there are numerous benefits of setting up peer support programs for older adults who may be lonely and/or socially isolated.

My experience: The perspective of a 20-year-old.

This past summer I had the opportunity to work as a Research Assistant with Dr. Renate Ysseldyk in the Department of Health Sciences at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University. One of the projects I worked on was a community-based research collaboration with the Ontario Centre for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care (CLRI) at Bruyère, Riverstone Retirement Communities, and the Java Group Programs¹. The Java Music Club is a weekly peer support group that encourages residents to socialize and to build meaningful connections with each other; it was created by Kristine Theurer, to help combat social isolation in long-term care and retirement homes. The program provides peer support in the form of conversation with other residents based on themes (e.g., gratitude) and coordinated music selections (e.g., “What a Wonderful World”). By talking about a different theme each week, the residents are able to form new connections and relate to each other about shared struggles or accomplishments. Every Tuesday morning this summer, I attended one of the Java Music Club group sessions with a lively group of seniors at Riverstone Retirement Communities.

Being 20, I don’t often think about what my life will be like when I’m older and retired. Right now, it’s hard to picture myself as 80 or 90 something and living in a retirement home. However, since all of us will eventually grow older, it is important to consider the social environments in which we will live as we age. As I have observed through this project, there are many activities available to residents who are living in residential care settings, but all activities are optional—thus, social interaction is also optional. Differences in personality dispositions (e.g., introversion vs. extraversion) notwithstanding, social isolation and loneliness can result among those who choose not to participate. Indeed, despite the busy activity calendars in many care homes, it is often the same few people who engage in those activities. Giving all residents the opportunity to participate in activities in which they feel comfortable is important, given previous research demonstrating that the quantity and quality of one’s social support networks are key social determinants of health. “Social determinants of health are factors that are influenced by where people live, such as income and social status, social support networks, education, gender, housing, and working conditions” (Raphael & Mikkonen, 2010).Maximizing residents’ opportunities to have supportive social networks within retirement homes is critical to maintaining health and well-being. This is important because many residents of LTC and retirement homes experience loneliness, which might be mitigated for some by increasing social support and building meaningful social networks. Social support, in turn, has also been shown to decrease morbidity and mortality rates(Uchino, 2006).

I do not have any mobility issues (and I am grateful for that), but many older (and some younger) people do. If my social network revolved around daily walks in the park with a group of my friends and then one day I fell and could no longer go on walks, I imagine I would feel quite lonely and isolated. The Java Music Club does not require a large amount of physical exertion, which is a plus. Members of the club meet once a week for an hour. They choose a theme for each week, coffee is served with a snack, and they talk and sing along to songs. Choosing a theme helps the residents to reminisce and share their emotions. Some of the themes have included creativity, grief, gratitude, and resentment. Sometimes they laugh; sometimes they cry. From what I have observed during meetings of the Java Music Club, the group has become quite close—they trust each other and know that if someone needs help they can count on their fellow group members.

The importance of social group identities.

Group memberships are important. Following in the tradition of social identity theory—which emphasizes the social, emotional, and cognitive value of being part of a group (Haslam et al., 2014;Tajfel & Turner, 1979)—much research has shown that sharing strong bonds with other group members can have a positive effect on well-being, including reduced loneliness and depression (Cruwys, Haslam, Dingle, Haslam, & Jetten, 2014; Jung, Gruenewald, Seeman, & Sarkisian, 2010; Ysseldyk, Haslam, & Haslam, 2013). One of the things that I looked forward to each week was listening to some of the members informally discuss the theme for the week as I helped to set up the materials for the group. Their shared experiences and common bond is what makes the program so great, giving them multiple opportunities to connect and relate even outside of the weekly Java Music Club sessions.

As a young person I’ve never really given much thought to the reasons many people in retirement and LTC homes may experience loneliness; however, working on this project has shown me some of them. In general, older adults tend to experience a decline in total energy levels (Manini, 2011).The Java Music Club is a great way to re-energize. Listening to music and engaging in social time is a wonderful way to start a morning. Others have lost a spouse, as is often the case as people get older. Suddenly, the person you have had by your side for decades is gone. Indeed, many older adults may experience an array of losses, especially as they move into retirement or LTC; they may also lose friends, experience a general decline in health, lose siblings, their independence, and their neighbors and community, all of which are important aspect of one’s life. The Java Music Club gives residents an opportunity to talk to others who may have experienced the same things. Indeed, some of the themes discussed during the Java Music Club were quite sensitive (e.g., loss) and brought up strong emotions, but this gave the group members a chance to be vulnerable with their emotions and to build trust with one another. By creating a supportive environment, the Java Music Club aims to increase emotional support from peers, which in turn strengthens social identity and can increase life satisfaction (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010; Theurer et al., 2015).

Looking ahead

There are many ways that loneliness and social isolation can be alleviated in retirement and LTC homes. As mentioned above, the Java Music Club is one of the ways that peer support can be increased. However, there are also other intervention programs, of course, that also address these issues. The key to incorporating these programs appears to be involving the residents and encouraging active participation versus having residents simply participate passively (Theurer et al., 2015). Some of the health benefits of peer support are improved physical health, lower rates of depression, increased social identity, and increased quality of life (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010; Kim, 2012). Indeed, there are many benefits of peer support, of which retirement and LTC homes can take advantage.

The main thing that I have learned from working on this project is that there is a lot more to think about as you grow older than seems obvious. Honestly, when I think about aging, I get scared that my body won’t work the way I want it to or that I won’t remember things as well. I don’t think about how I might be lonely or how easy it could be for me to become socially isolated. Social support and social interactions are important at every stage in life but can be even more important as we age. I only hope that when I get older I will be fortunate enough to have a strong social network of friends and family that I can count on. And no better time to start building those support networks than the present.

Written by Sarah Bickley-Gardner, Department of Health Sciences

¹This project formed the basis of a group capstone project in the Health: Science, Technology, and Policy program, led by MSc students Victoria Bond, Edna Tehranzadeh, Margot Wallace, and Connie Wu. This project was also funded by a Knowledge Mobilization Partnership Grant from the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation, and was supported by additional funding from ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University and the Government of Ontario through the Ontario CLRI.

References

Conner, K. O., Gum, A. M., Schonfeld, L., Beckstead, J., Beckstead, J., Brown, C., & Reynolds, C. F. (2018). Peer support as a strategy for reducing hospital readmissions among older adults with chronic medical illness and depression ., 2(2), 15–17.

Cruwys, T., Haslam, S. A., Dingle, G. A., Haslam, C., & Jetten, J. (2014). Depression and Social Identity: An Integrative Review. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 18(3), 215–238. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868314523839

Drageset, J., Kirkevold, M., & Espehaug, B. (2011). Loneliness and social support among nursing home residents without cognitive impairment: A questionnaire survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 48(5), 611–619. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2010.09.008

Haslam, C., Haslam, S. A., Ysseldyk, R., Mccloskey, L. G., Pfisterer, K., & Brown, S. G. (2014). Social identification moderates cognitive health and well-being following story- and song-based reminiscence. Aging and Mental Health, 18(4), 425–434. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2013.845871

Hawthorne, G. (2006). Measuring social isolation in older adults: Development and initial validation of the friendship scale. Social Indicators Research, 77(3), 521–548. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-005-7746-y

Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk: A meta-analytic review. PLoS Medicine, 7(7). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316

Jung, Y., Gruenewald, T. L., Seeman, T. E., & Sarkisian, C. A. (2010). Productive Activities and Development of Frailty in Older Adults. Geriatrics, 256–261. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbp105.

Kim, S. H. (2012). Effects of a Volunteer-Run Peer Support Program on Health and Satisfaction with Social Support of Older Adults Living Alone. Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing, 42(4), 525. https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2012.42.4.525

Landeiro, F., Barrows, P., Nuttall Musson, E., Gray, A. M., & Leal, J. (2017). Reducing social isolation and loneliness in older people: A systematic review protocol. BMJ Open, 7(5), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013778

Manini, T. M. (2011). NIH Public Access, 9(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2009.08.002.Energy

Raphael, D., & Mikkonen, J. (2010). Social Determinants of Health: The Canadian Facts. Retrieved from http://www.thecanadianfacts.org/the_canadian_facts.pdf

Theurer, K., Mortenson, W. Ben, Stone, R., Suto, M., Timonen, V., & Rozanova, J. (2015). The need for a social revolution in residential care. Journal of Aging Studies, 35, 201–210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2015.08.011

Uchino, B. N. (2006). Social support and health: A review of physiological processes potentially underlying links to disease outcomes. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 29(4), 377–387. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-006-9056-5

Ysseldyk, R., Haslam, S. A., & Haslam, C. (2013). Abide with me: Religious group identification among older adults promotes health and well-being by maintaining multiple group memberships. Aging and Mental Health, 17(7), 869–879. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2013.799120

Growing up, one of my favourite trips was to the doctor’s office. We would get in the car and drive to the doctor’s. I would sit in the waiting room, eagerly waiting for the moment the receptionist called out my name and said “please follow me to your room”. The doctor would finally come in, ask how I was doing and tell me to explain what I was visiting for. A few checkup procedures and five minutes later, I would walk out with a prescription in one hand, a sticker on the other, and torrent of thoughts in mind.

See, what fascinated me about the doctor’s office wasn’t the stickers (though I absolutely loved them). Rather, I was fascinated by how the doctor could ask me for a list of symptoms, check whatever was hurting me and figure out what was going on with my health. Health. What an awesome word. Five-year-old me was fascinated by health. What exactly was health? What did it encompass? Five-year-old me however, built a definition of health based on doctor visits and medical documentaries on television. I thought health only encompassed the physical human body. I thought that health could only be approached from a medical perspective, and could only be treated by doctors.

As I grew older though, I came across other words. Words like stress, anxiety, depression and eventually, mental health. With this, I learned that health was so much more complex than just the physical human body. The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” I particularly like this definition because it outlines all the other aspects of health I hadn’t been aware of, or really thought about when I pondered health.

The research project we are working on this summer is “Our Pets and Our Health: a photovoice pilot study.” This project is exploring how pets affect the health of people who are vulnerably housed or are dealing with homelessness. I vividly remember my first conversation with Dr. Kim Matheson on the project. During our conversation, she asked me if I’d ever heard of One Health. I hadn’t. When I shook my head and said “No,” she went on to explain what One Health meant. One Health is a multidisciplinary approach to health. It recognizes that human health is interconnected with the health of animals and the environment. It unites multiple fields for the improvement of health. To my great surprise, that one conversation with Dr. Matheson left me with a different understanding of health and many thoughts, insights and curiosity.

Just how closely is human health interconnected with animal health? This is one area of curiosity I just had to satisfy this summer. During the first few weeks of the summer, we spent time reading journal articles and familiarizing ourselves with the literature on this topic. The results of my readings? More insights. Even more curiosity. The benefits people derive from animals is incredible. From their great use in animal assisted therapy to the unconditional love and support they provide to people as pets, their important roles in the lives of people is unrivaled. I am really excited about the Our Pets and Our Health project, as it will provide us with more insights on how pets can positively impact the lives of vulnerable populations.

I never had any pets growing up. Due to this, I never really thought about the ways in which animals played a role in my life. I never thought that animal and human health could be interrelated, especially for someone who had never had a pet. However, working on this research project has allowed me to reflect on how animals have, in fact, played a role in my life. When I look back on my childhood, I have memories of walking to a park by the Rideau River with my family. My dad and I would feed the geese (though we probably shouldn’t have). We would go to hills and watch groundhogs come out. Despite not having a cat ourselves, we would play with the neighbourhood cats. Some of my favourite trips were those to the Agricultural Museum where we would watch horses, cows and other farm animals.

I recently talked to an uncle of mine who had gone on vacation. When I asked for pictures, I didn’t receive pictures of him. I was sent pictures of cats and baby goats. When I go through my camera roll on my phone, I find pictures I’ve taken of animals without giving much thought. Why is that? I’m starting to think it all goes back to One Health. Regardless of whether you’re a pet owner or not, you interact with animals and environment all the time. Ultimately, they do impact your health and play a very important role in your life. This summer has shown me that animals do play a role in our lives and discovering the health benefits we can derive from them is something I’m really looking forward to. I am eager to learn the findings of our research and to continue to expand my definitions, and understanding of health.

At least once a week, I make the mistake of looking at videos of dogs on Instagram and promptly text my boyfriend to tell him that I want a dog. When I drive by someone walking a dog, I seriously consider pulling over and asking to pet the dog. The biggest challenge in moving away from home for university was leaving behind my two dogs and three cats. I am pretty sure one of my parent’s biggest concerns is me adopting a dog or cat that I am not able to take care of. My future plans include raising a puppy and baby goat together so they grow up to become best friends.

So you might say I really like animals. More accurate, though, is that I love animals.

I especially find a certain kind of hope and love in rescue animals. Through the years, my family has been able to foster several dogs and several litters of kittens for various rescue organizations. All the pets we’ve owned have been rescued. Sometimes our pets proved challenging. When you have a rescue animal, there can be a lot of curveballs thrown your way. Some animals have had bad experiences with people, and you have to work to gain their trust. They might not have been trained properly or may have developed bad habits along their journey, and you have to train them to have proper manners. You might lose a few pairs of shoes and run outside in your bathrobe calling your pet’s name more often than you’d like, but that love in the animal’s eyes is so worth it in the end.

Growing up with animals, I took their presence for granted. I loved them and used them for support, but I never really considered the effect they had on my life until I moved away. Looking back, I see how my pets helped me through depression and anxiety. They were always there to listen and offer me their paw in support. Other times, I took comfort in seeing them bounce up to me and lick my face all over. Their happiness and love for life was contagious. Honestly, a few tears come to my eyes as I write this. The bond with them was so strong. Having animals that loved me so unconditionally truly gave me a reason to live. They were with me, and I knew I could face the day.

I was excited to move away from home for university. I looked forward to new experiences and challenges. But I underestimated how much I would miss my pets. My parents have even said that I probably miss the pets more than my human family. Facing the stressors of studies and relationship challenges without that constant, non-judgemental support and love was harder than I anticipated. I compensated for this by having pictures of my pets everywhere. When I skyped my family, I always had them bring the dogs and cats to the camera so I could talk to their very confused (and adorable) faces. I also visited the therapy dog in residence several times. My bond with my pets is one of the reasons I am so excited about this research. Given that I hadn’t even realized how they impacted me until I took time to consciously reflect, I am excited to see what data collection and analysis will reveal about the human animal bond.

I am a Neuroscience and Mental Health student. My own battles with mental health have made me extremely passionate about this issue. I want to both directly help people as well as research new ways of helping individuals that struggle. I am also passionate about rescuing animals and giving them the quality of life they deserve. When Dr. Matheson started describing the Pets and Our Health research project, I was beyond excited. I hadn’t heard of the One Health framework, the idea that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are related, or the Community Veterinary outreach, which provides veterinary services to individuals who would otherwise be unable to access animal care while also providing human health services. I didn’t know people were actually researching how animals effect our health.

Knowing the impact that animals have had in my life, even when I had a strong support network around me, I can only imagine how individuals who are homeless or vulnerably housed value their pets. During my internship, I’ve been reading journal articles about the relationship between vulnerable individuals and their pets. My eyes have been opened. For many of these individuals, their pets truly are their only supporters. They value the pets to the extent that it’s common to put the animal’s needs ahead of their own needs.

My hope through this research is that we are able to help to improve the quality of life for both people and their pets. I hope that the data that is collected will fuel further studies and provide a spark for future programs to help people and their pets in new ways. I hope that partnerships will form between different healthcare providers and animal organizations so that new, innovative ways of battling homelessness, mental illness, and animal neglect can be developed.

By Sarah Zutrauen, Department of Health Sciences

Revenge. It often seems to be the first thing to cross someone’s mind when they are wronged. It can seem satisfying in the moment. Even justified.  But is revenge actually sweet? Although vengeance may provide immediate satisfaction, it can also have unanticipated (and unwelcome) consequences for mental and physical health. On the flip side, the alternative response—forgiveness— may provide several benefits for health and well-being. But is this always the case?  Both vengeance and forgiveness are often considered to be coping strategies used to deal with a variety of stressful events, but they can result in different outcomes, depending on the circumstances.

One of the most challenging types of stressful events to cope with (and potentially to forgive) is abuse. Following an abusive event, common psychological responses include a desire for revenge or avoidance, or a reluctance to forgive. Notably, women who have suffered abuse are at greater risk for subsequent stressor-related depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other psychological symptoms. Abuse may also prompt the body to mount a short-term adaptive physiological response, by releasing stress hormones, such as cortisol, together with several brain neurotransmitters. However, sustained exposure to stressors, such as continued abuse, may lead to an overload of the stress response (allostatic overload), thereby diminishing cortisol levels, and decreasing the ability to deal with the stressor effectively.  

Although vengeance might be perceived as a fortifying option for women in abusive relationships and could feel good in the moment, it may be somewhat of a paradox in that it can also exact costs on psychological and physical health. But what about forgiveness?  Is forgiveness good for health in the context of an abusive relationship? It has been suggested that forgiving reactions predict better psychological and physical functioning, including less severe depressive symptomatology (compared to not forgiving). As well, forgiveness is associated with diminished stress-related biological responses, such as lower heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conduction levels. However, in the context of abuse, forgiveness may actually comprise a two-edged sword. On one hand, forgiveness might foster resilience by buffering the negative psychological effects of abuse. On the other hand, it could be detrimental if forgiving the abusive partner results in the continuation of the relationship, potentially putting the victim’s health at further risk. Thus, the positive health effects of forgiveness might depend on many factors, including the type or severity of the transgression (abusive or non-traumatic), as well as the type of well-being in question (physical or psychological).

Through two studies, researchers Renate Ysseldyk, Kimberly Matheson, and Hymie Anisman investigated the complex interactions among forgiveness, revenge, abuse, psychological health, and physiological stress responses among women who were currently involved in an abusive relationship, or had previously experienced intimate partner abuse (compared to women whose relationship conflicts were not abusive).

Psychological Health Implications

This research showed that women’s experiences of abuse, in general, were associated with greater depression and PTSD symptomatology. Women experiencing abuse were also more likely to desire revenge, and fewer engaged in forgiving behaviours. Interestingly, however, at low levels of psychological abuse (less than 3 events in the past month), revenge and depressive symptoms were unrelated, but at high levels of psychological abuse, a desire for revenge was related to higher depressive symptoms. Conversely, although forgiveness was associated with fewer depressive and PTSD symptoms in the absence of physical abuse, this association was even stronger in the presence of physical abuse.

Overall, unlike revenge and avoidance, forgiveness was associated with fewer psychological symptoms. It may be that unforgiving attitudes escalate negative emotions and rumination, leading to the development or maintenance of depressive or PTSD symptoms. In contrast, forgiveness may be key for the healing process through reducing feelings of hurt and resentment, thereby diminishing adverse psychological symptoms following abuse. Importantly, however, although the psychological health benefits of forgiveness were most pronounced in the aftermath of relatively severe offences, this was most evident for offences that were not ongoing. With women no longer in an abusive situation, forgiveness might be a strategy for letting go and moving on.

Physiological Stress Reactivity Implications

Alongside the psychological health responses that often accompany stressors, cortisol release is an adaptive short-term physiological response to help individuals cope. However, prolonged cortisol release, as might occur with ongoing abuse, is harmful to both physical and psychological health. In this study, although revenge was associated with increased cortisol reactivity following reminders of any relationship stressor, elevated cortisol reactivity was also evident among forgiving women in ongoing physically abusive relationships (following reminder cues of an abusive event). However, among women who reported no physical abuse, forgiveness and cortisol reactivity were unrelated.

In effect, a blunted cortisol response was seen among women in an abusive relationship when they were not forgiving of their partner, while cortisol reactivity was intensified when forgiveness was given. This finding suggests the possibility that forgiveness acted as an adaptive response to the stressor, kicking physiological systems into gear in an effort to cope with the abuse. However, it is equally possible that forgiving may have prolonged the abusive relationship, and that the increased cortisol reactivity observed was actually a marker of women’s ongoing distress.

The Big Picture

Based on this research, in the context of an abusive relationship, is forgiveness sweet and revenge sour for health and well-being?

For the most part, revenge was sour. The desire for vengeance was associated with increased cortisol reactivity, as well as more symptoms of depression and PTSD among women enduring physical, and especially psychological, abuse.

In contrast, for the most part, forgiveness was sweet, if the abuse occurred well in the past. Forgiveness was also associated with increased cortisol reactivity in response to continuing relationships involving physical abuse. Thus, the sweetness of forgiveness implies letting go of resentment; it does not mean tolerating more abuse.

Overall, in the context of abusive relationships, the dual nature of forgiveness, the paradox of revenge, and the severity, type, and timing of abuse all contribute to the complex relations between these factors and women’s health. So, what should we do the next time we are hurt or wronged?  Once we can be sure we are out of harm’s way, this research points to taking stock of the big picture, considering the potentially sour ramifications of continuing to seek revenge, and the comparative release that might be provided by forgiveness.

Based on:

Ysseldyk, R., Matheson, K. & Anisman, H. (2017). Revenge is sour, but is forgiveness sweet? Psychological health and cortisol reactivity among women with experiences of abuse. Journal of Health Psychology. doi:

If you are experiencing any form of abuse, many resources exist, and those listed below may provide help:

………… 24 hour 1(866) 863-0511 TTY 1(866) 863-7868

………………………….24 hour (613) 238-3311

……………………………………..24 hour 1(877) 336-2433 ATS 1(866) 860-7082

Breaking the code: How seeking help can save lives

By Andrea Poncia

Health promotion campaigns often highlight the negative impacts of a harmful behaviour, and then provide information about healthier alternatives. It’s an approach that assumes the audience is capable of changing habits and behaviours, and it works best for things that are fairly easy to change, like wearing seat belts.

Unfortunately, this approach can sometimes have the opposite effect. For example, youth who feel suicidal are less likely to seek help, and experience greater distress after being exposed to this type of campaign. To support suicide prevention planning, the Province of Manitoba developed that outline the harms of focusing on shock and trauma, and discuss how to constructively address suicide among youth. A similar theme of caution about fear- based messaging comes from the Canadian Association of Suicide Prevention’s about how to report on suicide in the media.

While there is little evidence that negative messaging promotes behaviour change in relation to suicide, there is consensus that suicide prevention efforts should focus on identifying people who are at-risk, and promoting help-seeking. For example, in 2015, 13% of high school students surveyed in Ottawa seriously considered suicide, and of these, 71% didn’t know where to turn. To address this, a cross-sectoral group of organizations set-out to identify programs that could be implemented to reach and engage vulnerable youth. These organizations came together through the Community Suicide Prevention Network (CSPN) that led a process to identify an evidence-informed practice to promote help-seeking.

The CSPN consulted the and Both websites listed a program called Sources of Strength as a promising practice, and, in 2014, Ottawa joined cities throughout the United States and Australia in implementing the program. It is currently being offered in 23 local high schools. While more research is required to better understand , there is promising evidence that it can be a powerful tool to increase help-seeking behaviours.

One of the ways to promote help-seeking is by focusing on relationships. Youth who have suicidal thoughts tend to gravitate to people who have had similar life experiences, so they often engage with peers who have also experienced suicidal thoughts and actions. This can lead to a situation where suicide is seen as a common-place response to crisis. The Sources of Strength program aims to counteract this normalization of suicide by bringing adult and youth leaders together to plan outreach activities in schools with the aims of changing norms about seeking help, promoting resiliency, building relationships between youth and adults, and shifting the perception that suicide is a normal response to crisis.

The program is based on the notion that youth become less vulnerable to suicide when they are integrated within deep and high quality relationships that promote positive norms, such as help-seeking. This is important for a few reasons: one is that relationships play a vital role in helping us navigate choices. Young people’s decisions are highly influenced by the norms within their social groups. Another is that relationships with positive people foster a sense of well-being, and create opportunities for loved ones to notice vulnerability and make connections to services when needed.

To understand the effectiveness of the program, Wyman et. al., evaluated how Sources of Strength impacted the breadth and quality of youth relationships with trusted adults. They also looked at how willing peer leaders would be to get adult help when their peers requested secrecy about their suicidal feelings.

For this study, the Sources of Strength peer leaders worked with adult advisors to develop. These carefully crafted campaigns consisted of class presentations where youth leaders talked about their strengths, and named trusted adults. Adult advisors were present during these sessions to ensure all of these components were included in the youth’s messaging. As health promotion activities are enhanced when there are opportunities for audience participation, peer leaders engaged student participants to do the same.

What they found was promising. Sources of Strength peer leaders were more likely to believe that adults were available to help them in the school. They were more likely to connect their peers with suicidal thoughts to adults, they expressed fewer negative coping mechanisms, and were more engaged within their schools.

What’s more, youth who were suicidal experienced the biggest benefit. As for the youth who were already resilient when they came into their peer leader roles, they were more likely to refer peers to adults than before the program.

Petrova et. al showed that after three months, Sources of Strength led to changes within the whole school population. The greatest shift was in students’ perceptions that there were adults in the school that they could turn to for support. Overall, there was greater acceptance that asking for help was a good thing. Once again, the students who had the most positive changes were those who had suicidal feelings or thoughts.

These results are encouraging considering that currently, most youth only disclose their suicidal thoughts to peers. While more research is needed to build on the studies that only looked at the short term, Sources of Strength offers a promising practice for suicidal youth, known to have fewer deep ties to supportive adults, to learn that it’s ok to ask for help, and to be exposed to opportunities to build resilience. It is likely not the only program that can bring about positive change, but it certainly reinforces the notion that providing positive and effective supports can make a difference.

Bibliography

Ottawa Public Health. Ottawa Student Drug Use and Health Report, 2014. Ottawa (ON): Ottawa Public Health; 2014.

Bennett, K., Cheung, A., Manassis, K., Links, P., Mushquash,C., Braunberger, P., Newton, A. S., Kutcher, S., Bridge, J., Santos, R.G., Manion, I., McLennan, J., Bagnell, A., Lipman, E., Rice, M., Szatmari, P. (2015). A Youth Suicide Prevention Plan for Canada: A Systematic Review of Reviews. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 60 (6), 245-257.

Petrova, M., Wyman, P. A., Schmeelk-Cone, K., Pisani, R. A. (2015). Postive-Themed Suicide Prevention Messages Delivered by Adolescent Peer Leaders: Proximal Impact on Classmate’s Coping Attitudes and Perceptions of Adult Support. Suicide and Life Threatening Behaviour, 45 (6),

Pisani, R. A., Schmeelk-Cone, K., Gunzler, D., Petrova, M., Goldston, D. B., Tu, X., Wyman, P. A. (2012). Associations Between Suicidal High School Students’ Help- Seeking and their Attitudes and Perceptions of Social Environment. Journal Youth Adolescence, 41, 1312-1324.

Schmeelk-Cone, K., Pisani, R. A., Petrova, M., Wyman, P. A. (2012). Three Scales Assessing High School Students’ Attitudes and Perceived Norms ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ Seeking Adult Help for Distress and Suicide Concerns. Suicide and Life Threatening Behaviour, 42 (2), 157-172.

Wyman, P. A, Brown, H., LoMurray, M., Schmeelk-Cone, K., Petrova, M., Yu, Q., Walsh, E., Tu, X., Wang, W., (2010). An Outcome Evaluation of the Sources of Strength Suicide Prevention Program Delivered by Adolescent Peer Leaders in High Schools. American Journal of Public Health, 100 (9), 1653-1661.

By Susan Braedley, Associate Professor, School of Social Work

Is it truly a sunnier day for health equity in Canada? It seems so. On Sunday, April 3, 2016, a packed hall at the War Museum listened attentively as Jane Philpott, federal Minister of Health, outlined her plan to address health inequities through a social determinants of health approach. Harnessing the capabilities of the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada, she hopes to identify upstream drivers of health inequities, reduce regional disparities and address the needs of vulnerable populations. A hum of pleased surprise came from the knowledgeable audience as she referenced Vincente Navarro, world famous expert and progressive voice on the political and economic determinants of health.

Philpott wants action, but she has some worries. Echoing a theme from Cindy Blackstock’s opening address, she described a recent meeting with indigenous leaders who expressed deep frustration with federal government incrementalist policy approaches that ignored and discounted indigenous peoples’ lives and suffering. She quoted Martin Luther King (another reference not heard recently from federal politicians). “This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism” where “the wait has almost always meant never”. My impression was that Philpott has an uphill battle to convince her Cabinet colleagues about the need for radical action. The “social determinants of health are not infrequently mentioned at the Cabinet table”, she told us, but is there sufficient support to pay the bill to tackle health inequities? Arguing that the social determinants of health must be the responsibility of the entire government, she pleaded for help in building public support for “health as the determinant of society”.

Philpott’s talk was just one of many at “Closing the Gap: action for health equity” an event organized by Upstream, a high octane non- partisan organization. Founded by family physician Ryan Meili, whose 2012 book  has sold over four thousand copies across Canada, Upstream aims to contribute to “a movement to create a healthy society through evidence-based, people-centred ideas”, by “refram[ing] public discourse around addressing in order to build a healthier society” (thinkupstream.net). Thus, Upstream assembled an impressive list of speakers. The day ended with the eminent and entertaining Sir Michael Marmot, whose definitive research reveals undisputable links between health inequalities and both political and economic drivers – compelling research that kept the crowd riveted long into the evening.

But the day’s big question was Philpott’s concern. Is there sufficient political will and public support for the feds to bite the health equity spending bullet? Which policy directions can both address health inequalities and attract the political support necessary to make them achievable in the longer term? On the one hand, the evidence on health equities is clear. Poverty is the most significant determinant of health, but poverty is never simple nor does it work in isolation from other social determinants – food insecurity, homelessness and systemic racism were three issues covered by the day’s speakers. Danielle Martin, a physician and researcher at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, argued for the potential of a targeted guaranteed annual income, indexed to inflation and available to all Canadians, as both a politically feasible and affordable approach to improving health equity. On the other hand, programs that benefit only low-income Canadians may not garner sufficient political support. Armine Yalnizyan, senior economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and Vice-President of the Canadian Association for Business Economics, recommended instituting a wide range of social programs that would benefit low, middle and even high income Canadians. She argued that this menu of programs, including universal affordable child care and other benefits, would be both lower in cost and more politically achievable for the longer term, garnering broader-based public support from the wide range of Canadians who benefitted and tackling health inequities.

Photo by Ariel Root

Settling this debate will not be easy. For health and health care researchers, however, the good news is that evidence-informed policy at the federal level is now a distinct possibility. It is our job to continue to identify policy alternatives that can address these health inequities, to get the evidence to those who can use it to advocate for change and to educate the public about the benefits and costs of policies. This includes the alarming costs associated with the status quo. Gender, racialization and immigration were mostly ignored at this illustrious meeting, indicating both a need for more knowledge mobilization and advocacy on these important determinants of health and a possible problem within the health equity community. However, the day attracted a power-crowd of movers and shakers who do understand these issues, including activists, advocates, researchers and policy makers. Seated around me were many familiar faces: Monique Begin, former federal Minister of Health and Welfare and the “mother of medicare”, as she was hailed from the stage, Linda Silas, President of the Canadian Federation of Nurses’ Unions, Beth Jackson and many others from Public Health Agency of Canada, Cheryl Stadnichuk, senior healthcare researcher at CUPE, Maureen O’Neill, President of the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement and Barbara Neuwelt, Director of Ottawa Diabetes Education Program.

Are we seeing a movement rise up on the health equity front? It seems entirely possible.

By Hymie Anisman, Dept. of Neuroscience, ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University

In Dante’s Inferno, the ninth circle of hell is reserved for those who engage in treachery

Most of us spend about half of our waking hours at the workplace. For some people work is a positive experience and even acts as a buffer or coping method to deal with life stressors, whereas for others work is a drudge that must be endured. When the workplace becomes a stressor, especially when individuals experience high job demands, but with limited decision latitude (job strain), the occurrence of illnesses, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, increases appreciably. These outcomes are exacerbated further when job strain is accompanied by the perception of unfairness or injustice.

Yet another powerful stressor that can be encountered in the workplace is bullying. Although bullying is most frequently discussed in relation to adolescents and school environments, particularly as it has become especially pernicious though attacks coming through social media, it isn’t restricted to adolescent experiences, being much too common in the workplace.

Workplace bullying can take any of multiple forms, and there is little doubt that intentional, prolonged harassment (or violence) coming from a coworker or from a group (mobbing) can lead to a variety of negative neurobiological changes, as well as a range of psychological and physical illnesses. Bullying can be manifested in the form of ostracism, belittling, sarcastic remarks, rudeness, name calling, sexual harassment, scapegoating, threats, violence, overworking an employee, or by ignoring or marginalizing them. Even one of these stressful experiences, such as being ostracized by others, gives rise to brain changes that in several respects are reminiscent of those elicited by pain.

Not unexpectedly, being the victim of frequent bullying may be accompanied by disturbances of the stress hormone, cortisol, and its diurnal profile is reminiscent of that seen among individuals with PTSD or those going through other chronic stressor experiences. Predictably, bullying can tax coping resources and can have cumulative effects and the distress created, like a cancer, can metastasize so that victims may develop symptoms of depression and anxiety, sleep problems, and in some instances post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with symptoms persisting for years.

It is sometimes assumed that bullying is uncommon in the workplace, after all ‘we’re all adults here’ and lectures by some human resource groups portray bullying as occurring fairly infrequently. In fact, however, the Workplace Bullying Institute reported in 2007 that 13% of workers felt that they were currently being bullied, and 37% reported that they had been bullied at some time in their working career. What makes the problem worse is that of these individuals only 60% had informed their employers (the remainder indicated that it was pointless to do so), and of that number, two thirds reported the issue was not resolved.

It seems that the bully is an equal-opportunity harasser, and might appear in any type of organization. It might be government organizations, charitable foundations, large corporations or small companies, and even universities.

It’s especially unfortunate when the bullying emanates from a boss (manager). There’s hardly anyone who hasn’t heard about the boss who is egotistical, demanding, criticizes others for no reason other than self-aggrandizement, who makes a habit or game of humiliating them publicly, and who is described as “not brooking fools lightly” (as if this were a positive attribute). In this group are ‘victim bullies’ who have little in the way of social skills and have themselves previously experienced being bullied or marginalized. This type of bully is relatively easy to spot as they typically exhibit high levels of anger and hostility, and have deficient social skills, problems with emotional regulation, and internalizing disorders, such as depression. In their frustration they take their problems out on staff, perceiving others to be working against them, and because of their own insecurities they react to imaginary threats. Then there are the ‘proactive bullies’, who have positive social skills, but tend to display abusive behavior that is goal-oriented, enabling the them to take credit for the work of others, and whose behavior ultimately benefits them with greater power, privileges, or rewards. This bully can’t bear not being the hero and so is not pleased when others succeed. If anyone challenges this type of bully-boss, they can count on a short tenure in the organization. When the features of the different types of bullies come together in a single individual, then the outcomes are still more ferocious.

There are any number of factors that determine why bully bosses (or bully professors) behave the way they do. Bullying might be a means to maintain power and control over others. Alternatively, as described more than six decades ago, experiences of frustration might breed anger and aggression which is misdirected at those not in a position to fight back. The frustration and ensuing ruthless behavior might develop as a result of excessive job demands (workload and role conflict) and job-related resources that were unavailable (ultimate decision authority, salary/promotion prospects), coupled with a self-perceived incompetence that can be covered over by aggressive behaviors.

Although it isn’t my intent to describe the multiple factors that could potentially create the bully, I can hardly resist making a couple of comments. There was a move toward explaining this pathology on the basis of dysfunctions within particular brain regions, and there have even been suggestions that these individuals shouldn’t be blamed for their sickness! Regardless, it’s hard to feel sorry for a psychopathic boss who derives satisfaction from humiliating employees. Robert Hare, a major researcher in psychopathy has indicted that 1% of individuals could be categorized as being a psychopath. Although movies and some novels would have us believe that the psychopath is an evil person who engages in criminal acts (like Dr Lecter in Silence of the Lambs, or Patrick Bateman in American Psycho), psychopaths are present across the spectrum of white collar professions. According to Hare, psychopathy ought to be distinguished from insanity. Psychopaths know and understand what they’re doing, but experience an “emotional deafness”, being unable to have any empathy for others. They focus on their own interests and perceive others simply as pawns or suckers that can be preyed upon, and when they encounter pushback, even if it’s imaginary, they claim that they’re the victim.

As psychopaths typically have above average intelligence, their ruthlessness and fixation on personal power increase the odds that they will make advances in organizations (corporate, political, university). In their 2007 book ‘Snakes in Suits; When Psychopaths go to Work’, Babiak and Hare provided an extensive description of the corporate psychopath, the different strategies they endorse to get what they want (manipulation, bullying, anger, emotional outbursts, among other manipulative behaviors) and the extent to which they will go to reach the goals and needs on their agenda. It has been estimated by Boddy and his associates (2010) that although they might make up only 1% of the workforce, psychopaths account for more than 26% of workplace bullying. Given these numbers, one might wonder why bullies aren’t gotten rid of by their bosses? Boddy surmised that the corporate culture has enabled the destructive bullying behaviors by these individuals, as their corporations look to profits generated by psychopaths, and thus take little action to discourage malevolent behaviors. In essence, the psychopathic bully might be convenient to have around. Alternatively, because psychopathic bullies punch down and suck up, their bosses might not recognize them as being what they actually are.

Bullying is obviously a serious problem for any organization, and it requires a good leader to manage such issues. This is especially important given the effects of bullying on workplace productivity, creativity, and loyalty, sick leaves being taken, absenteeism as well as disengagement from the organization. In this regard, ill effects are not only experienced by the victim of bullying, but also by witnesses to the bullying. This could stem from empathetic reactions, or perhaps from the guilt or despair created by not being able to intervene, or the fear of the same thing happening to them. It may be particularly relevant that witnesses to others being bullied increases their intention to leave the organization.

When a leader sits does nothing in the face of others being persecuted, they’re essentially taking the side of the oppressor. Unfortunately, this occurs all too frequently. Often, despite the bullying by low level managers, more senior managers might simply ignore obvious problems, even when complaints have been made. Perhaps they’ll mouth patronizing statements about there being two sides to every story. However, some senior managers rarely speak with the rank and file and might simply hear the story from the side of the low level manager. In some instances, the senior manager hopes the problem will dissipate on its own over time, or they may engage in a series of exercises that don’t fix the problem, but instead inflame an already bad situation. Unfortunately, fires don’t go out until all the fuel has been consumed.

Hymie Anisman has recently authored two books providing an evidence-based approach to understanding the role of stress on human health, and identifying characteristics and behaviours that render people more vulnerable or resilient. Both are available at Amazon.ca

The end of the season always comes. And it always seems to be raining. And as I get closer and closer to my contract’s end, crewmembers seem to pitter out of the system. It’s a weird end, because not everyone ends on the same day. There’s no final hoo-raw, or goodbye. Some people are on tour when other people lock their locker for the last time. It’s a weird feeling, because some of those people will never be back and you’ll never see them again. Those people that you’ve grown so close to in such a short amount of time. Spending 40 hours a week together. Sleeping in the same canvas tent together. Driving in the crew cab together. Some of them you won’t hear from till next spring. Or until your paths cross again. If they ever do. It’s a bit of a weird feeling, and yet, it’s not really sad. Just weird. You learn to accept that that’s how the end of the season feels. It is what it is. Grey, overcast, rainy, and slowly getting quieter and quieter, until you as well, pack in your red and blue bags, and lock your locker for the last time.

Yesterday was a particularly gloomy day. It was the first day that three crew members said their goodbyes, locked their lockers, and drove off base bound for southern Ontario for their winter academics. It also poured 76mLs in less than 42 minutes. I was at a table, eating lunch, wondering what the afternoon would bring, when a crew boss sat down. He comes in late often. But he has a long drive from the reserve. A new baby born in August. And a hell of a story.

“My cousin committed suicide last night.”

What do you even say to that? Just empty eyes and a dropped jaw.

She was a nice kid. Only 19. I rubbed the sides of my nose as I cupped my face and mouth with my hands. It’s real common on the res. They don’t know that it’ll get better. That you just have to get past those feelings. And they’re all just kids. 10, 16, 14 years old. And that was it. My eyes were filled. And I clasped my hands behind my head, and stared upwards, biting my lip. I don’t understand… how did she get that idea? Why did she get that idea? How do you think like that when you’re 10 years old? How do you feel that way?

“You just feel…empty. And it’s not even that you feel trapped, but you look around at your life, and you believe that that’s all there is. You see the people, and what they’re doing… and you have no idea that there’s a whole world of opportunities and possibilities outside your community.”

#TeenLife #ItGetsBetter #Suicide

Playing outside. Running around with friends. Biking to the neighbours. Building forts out of sticks. Waking up early, and coming home late. It’s not always that different than what I experienced. My summer days were running around, barefoot; smiles, and a curious mind that kept me outside. Her summer days were waking up early on the living room floor, and running around, hiding in the woods in the fort, where she felt safe. I wasn’t allowed inside because eating popsicles got sticky in there. She wasn’t allowed inside because playing woke dad from sleeping off a hangover. She forgives him for punishing her, but sometimes she’ll still catch a glimpse of his old ways.

Sometimes his mom would take him to the city. Buy two or three movie tickets, and a large popcorn. They would spend all day together, watching movies. He smiles. It was the best. A vivid memory relived through the smirked right-side corner of a beautiful smile. And sometimes she would cry. And he didn’t know why, or what happened. Maybe she drank too much, or was having relationship troubles. He would just walk over to her, and lay his head on her chest. He gave her the love she needed. Just a little boy, being a man. But they never spoke about it. They never talked about feelings or what was going on. Because she never had that when she was his size. She never learnt how. She never knew she needed it.

#Abuse #Emotions #ParentStruggles

And you might think, as I once did, that it sounds horrible. Why would you want to live somewhere like that? Why would you choose to live somewhere like that? Why would you continue to stay somewhere like that? In a place where you feel like you can’t trust anyone. That, for some, fosters so many scarring memories and feelings. But let me tell you when and why: when you have 5 children of your own, and you can’t afford $1400/month rent in town. When you never had $100 to your name, and now you have to figure out how to manage an income and pay bills. When, despite its quality, that reserve has been home for your entire life. Think about never having been taught about bills, life responsibilities, financial commitments, or accountability. Think about how many hard lessons you would face on your own, with no support. Think about how strong you have to be. Still have to be.

His stepdaughter’s friends always ask her to come into town, and he tells her she can’t be doing that anymore. She has a bebe now. Responsibilities. She can’t be driving the bebe around in the car so much—it’s bad for her. She needs to be at home, growing and learning. He doesn’t want her to grow up like he did. He wants it better for her.

Some people are amazing. Some people who started with no support, no education. Who knew nothing outside their community. Somehow, they’ve prevailed. They knew they wanted something different, and they sought out to get it. They recognized that what they had, they want more for their children. That they will give them the love and support that they deserve and need. It’s amazing that somewhere along the way, some people realize that something needs to change. And they change it. That they have the strength without even realizing it.

#Responsibilities #Commitments #Strength

I have this saying with some colleagues that “it is what it is.” No matter how illogical or unfair something may seem, sometimes it just is what it is, and nothing will change. Sometimes we have to let out a big sigh, pack in our bags, lock our lockers, and walk away from base without saying goodbye to everyone. But sometimes, someone can change something. And they will. And they did. Something that should never happened, won’t happen again. Sometimes, “it is what it is.” And yet sometimes, we challenge that. And we can make a change. And we can stand up for what we believe is right. And we can be strong, and pass along our lessons learned. And sometimes… sometimes, some people do this.

#ItIsWhatItIs #ResLife

Author Ariel Root is currently in Kenora in her fourth season working as a forest fire fighter for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.  She has a BSc in Food Science & Nutrition from ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University in 2012, and is currently a graduate student in the Health Science, Technology and Policy program at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University. She has been featured on APTN’s new hit TV show, Playing with Fire, Season 2.

Come back for the last instalment of this series next week.

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By Frank Welsh, Director of Policy, Canadian Public Health Association

Your health and quality of life is determined by a wide range of factors. These social determinants of health (SDH) are broadly defined as “the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age” and include education, income, housing, gender, physical environment, social environment, access to health services and healthy childhood development. In order to optimize the health and well-being of communities across Canada, public health authorities are tackling these unique challenges by developing innovative programs to address this complex intermingling of factors. In a country as large and diverse as Canada, it’s essential that we have a way of sharing our successes – and our failures – so that other can learn from our experiences and build on them to develop more effective interventions. The purpose of (FLH) is to share those stories with the public health community across Canada.

At its simplest, FLH is an online collection stories overlaid on a map of Canada about communities that have had success in addressing the SDH. The stories are told in the voice of those who develop and manage these programs, and they integrate text, podcasts, pictures and video to provide a human context and make them accessible to a general audience.

FLH is the result of three partners coming together to address a knowledge exchange need of the public health community. With initial funding from Astra Zeneca, the Canadian Public Health Association conceptualized and managed the Atlas’ development and preparation of the stories, while research and development for the site was provided by the (GCRC), ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University. Using their open-source mapping software, Nunaliit, coupled with the Couch open source database, GCRC designed an interactive Atlas that provides the functionality needed to capture the stories with an interface that highlights the human nature of the project.  Preparation of broadcast quality podcasts was provided by , an Ottawa-based content development and communications firm. Without the unique contribution of each of the three partners this project would not have succeeded.

Frontline Health, however, is much more than the technology; it is about the stories. There are currently 19 stories, each of which represents one community’s effort to respond to a local challenge that was rooted in a particular social determinant of health. The FLH stories describe how communities have responded to these needs for a particular at-risk population. They range from one about how a community in the Northwest Territories is improving food choices by its residents, to another concerning a program that reaches out to pregnant women living on Toronto’s streets.

The Atlas is clearly resonating with the public health community, as the number of “hits” recorded and the residence times of visitors are above average, given the type of site and target audience. In addition, informal comments are strongly supportive of the content, as well as the Atlas’ look and feel. There are however challenges, the greatest of which are identifying and developing the stories in a timely fashion, and maintaining a contemporary, user-friendly look and feel to the site.

The collaborative efforts of CPHA, GCRC and Smarter Shift have provided a unique Atlas that tells the stories of how some communities are addressing the needs of specific populations. The Frontline Health Atlas can be found at: , then click on the map of Canada.