VANCOUVER - The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health has announced the recipients of 20 Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) health research grants worth over $14 million to study health disparities among Canada's most vulnerable populations. Minister Clement made the announcement by video presentation during the opening ceremony of the Canadian Public Health Association's 97th Annual Conference being held in Vancouver from May 28th to 31st.

"The Government of Canada's investment in these research projects will not only help vulnerable people lead longer, healthier, and more productive lives; it will also help build stronger communities and a better society," said Minister Clement.

"The better we understand the social, cultural, economic and environmental determinants of health, the better equipped we will be to engage in more effective interventions and reduce pressures on the health care system," said Dr. Alan Bernstein, President of CIHR.

The 20 health research projects funded across Canada underwent a rigorous peer-review process before being approved. They exemplify CIHR's comprehensive, problem-based approach to funding excellence in health research. The funded researchers will undertake this research over periods of three to five years and include the following:

• Drs. Clyde Hertzman, Edith Chen, Amedeo D'Angiulli, and Susan Dahinten (University of British Columbia) and their team are investigating the role of socioeconomic, gender-related, ethnic and geographic inequalities on children's health and educational development.
• Dr. Jean Shoveller (University of British Columbia) and her team is investigating the needs of rural and northern youth who face major health challenges related to sexually transmitted infections and pregnancies at an early age.

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