Interdisciplinary Centre for Black Health named finalist in Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Challenge

Faculty of Social Sciences
School of Psychology
Interdisciplinary Centre for Black Health
Research
Professors
Awards and recognition
Black community
Health and wellness
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The Interdisciplinary Centre for Black Health (ICBH), located in the Faculty of Social Sciences, headed by Professor Jude Mary Cénat and bringing together researchers from four other faculties (Medicine, Health Sciences, Law — Civil Law and Common Law sections — and Education), has been named a finalist in the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Challenge.

This recognition comes with a $600,000 award, which will be used to implement an innovative project aimed at reducing the risk of diabetes in Black communities in Canada. The ICBH, Canada’s first university-based research centre entirely dedicated to studying the determinants of health in Black communities, plays an essential role in understanding and addressing racial health disparities.

The ICBH’s project titled “Train, Inform, Involve and Transform to Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Black Communities in Canada” aims to train students from various disciplines to become peer educators. They in turn will inform religious leaders and encourage Black communities to take part in diabetes prevention activities, thereby helping to raise awareness and reduce the risks associated with the disease. “This funding will enable us to implement tangible, sustainable solutions to improve the health of Black communities disproportionately affected by Type 2 diabetes,” Cénat said.

Cénat will be leading the project along with Professor Idrissa Beogo from the School of Nursing in the Faculty of Health Sciences. Beogo, currently ICBH acting director, will work with Cénat, who will use his sabbatical year to step up his research into the health of Black populations in North America. The work of the ICBH and its team has enjoyed wide recognition, for example, through awards and ample media coverage, making the organization a key player in guiding the efforts of government agencies in the fight against health inequalities.

Read the full article on Collabzium.