Western PhD student Nicole Etherington stands among eight women at Ontario universities honoured with the 2013-14 Women’s Health Scholars Award.
Administered by the Council of Ontario Universities (COU), the awards celebrate Ontario’s pre-eminent women’s health scholars who excel in the creation of knowledge about women’s health and translate that into better health outcomes for them.
“We are proud of the many talented women scholars at Ontario universities devoted to improving the lives of women by getting to the root causes of their unique health care issues,” said Alastair Summerlee, University of Guelph president, who serves as COU chair. “The important work they do contributes to healthier lives for women around the world.”
Etherington, who is interested in issues pertaining to gender and health equity, aspires to a career in health and aging research that could broaden the understanding of women’s health. She plans on conducting a study using the longitudinal data from the Panel Survey of Income Dynamics to examine the effects of childhood exposure to poverty on women’s health over the course of their lives. She hopes her research will contribute to the development of evidence-based social and health policy aimed at reducing health disparities among older adults.
Recipients of the award receive research awards of up to $22,000 each from the Ontario Women’s Health Scholars Awards program, established with funding from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.