Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Womens' Health (ACEWH)

A literature review that examines the health implications of obesity and overweight in pregnancy, starting with the physical health of women and children and moving on to a consideration of some of the social determinants of health. The review closes with a synthesis of findings and recommendations for further research.

This synthesis paper analyzes the process of gender-based analysis within government bureaucracies in Canada and evaluates the gender based analysis process in terms of improving health care delivery services to women.

A profile of women's cancers and supports, both formal and informal, for women with cancer in Atlantic Canada.  The findings of this research also led to several key recommendations for those interested in improving services and supports for women living with breast, cervical, ovarian and uterine cancers.

These Steps are an assessment tool intended to help identify the elements that need to be in place or be recognized for community-based equality seeking groups, researchers and governments to work together on public policy development, implementation and reform.

The Roundtable was co-hosted by the Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women's Health, with the Birthing Options Research Network, in partnership with the PEI Women's Network on February 21, 2004.

The objectives were to exchange ideas and develop strategies for ensuring that women on PEI receive the most appropriate primary maternity care. Participants were asked to discuss the current maternity and newborn care options available; how these options fit/or don't with the National Guidelines for Family-Centred and Newborn Care; how to improve primary maternity care; and how to ensure that the care is the most appropriate provided by the most appropriate provider thus opening up a discussion of doulas and midwives.

This project reviews the use of Well Women's Clinics to increase screening rates of hard-to-reach women. This model can support new health intervention policies to increase health screening methods for gender specific conditions that respond well to early detection, e.g., cervical or prostate cancer.

"Gender Mainstreaming: Developing a Conceptual Framework for En-Gendering Healthy Public Policy" develops a conceptual framework for mainstreaming gender issues and perspectives in health related polices. This is the companion paper which develops an operational framework. The project also produced four fact sheets: mainstreaming gender analysis, learning from health impact assessment, developing economic gender equality indicators, and mainstreaming gender analysis and public consultation and participation.

Gender Mainstreaming: Developing a Conceptual Framework for En-Gendering Healthy Public Policy develops a conceptual framework for mainstreaming gender issues and perspectives in health related polices. Its companion paper, "Gender Planning: Developing an Operational Framework for En-Gendering Healthy Public Policy" develops an operational framework. The project also produced four fact sheets: mainstreaming gender analysis, learning from health impact assessment, developing economic gender equality indicators, and mainstreaming gender analysis and public consultation and participation.
ACEWH publication:

Working with the Dalhousie Health Law Institute and the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women, this project developed a mechanism for ethics review of community-based research where existing ethics reviews processes are either not available or are inappropriate

Using discourses on “lone mothers” as a case study, this research paper explores some of the dilemmas of conducting health policy research focused on particular social groups. The paper highlights the importance of health research that takes a reflexive stance towards the role of researchers in creating and augmenting negative and stigmatizing social classifications.