Wellesley Institute

Research underway:

There's no age limit to homelessness:
In 2024, 15% of shelter users were 55 or older, and half were experiencing homelessness for the first time. Older adults seeking shelter services have high rates and much earlier onset of age-related health conditions, which shelters were not designed or resourced to accomodate. Our upcoming research explores shelter use among older adults in Toronto to shine a light on their service needs and make recommendations on how to improve shelter systems to better support them.

What is menstrual equity?

Access to safe environments in which to menstruate, including bathroom facilities and clean water, as well as access to menstrual products that allow for the ability to go to school, work and engage in life with dignity.

https://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/menstrual-health-is-not-a-luxury/

We cannot solve the homelessness crisis in Ontario without supportive housing. Supportive housing combines housing assistance, like rent-geared-to-income, with wrap-around support services such as counselling, addiction supports, life skills training and medication management. It is critical to meet the needs of those at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness, people with disabilities, and people with mental health and/or substance use challenges. Ontario needs at least 40,000 supportive housing units to meet the need. Read our submission to the 2026 Ontario government budget process: https://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/ontario-2026-budget-our-submission-on-supportive-housing/

Research compiled by the Canadian Medical Association found 85 per cent of health outcomes are determined by our social, economic and physical environments, and by the actions of the healthcare system.

We’re recruiting a researcher with strong quantitative skills to work with our team. A career at Wellesley Institute is an opportunity to use your talents to help create a healthier and more equitable GTA and Ontario for all. At Wellesley, our people are essential to our efforts and we will empower you to be successful in your role. Our application deadline is Friday, July 31. https://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/job-opportunity-quantitative-researcher/

Moving from the hospital to home is a critical juncture for patients. Wellesley Institute is working on a project to identify tools and frameworks that help caregivers assess the housing quality of patients and how this might impact their health and recovery. Watch out for the research report later this year.

In Canada, the wealthiest 20% possess almost 65% of the country’s wealth. The bottom 40% hold only 3.3%. This has an impact on health outcomes.

Read our recent scoping review on the interventions that currently exist to address wealth inequality in high income countries and how they have they been studied in relation to health outcomes.

https://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/wealth-and-health-a-review-of-interventions-addressing-wealth-inequality/

Across the province, racialized and low-income populations often have poorer attachment to primary care. Understanding the primary care preferences of Black and South Asian-origin communities could help those who plan health services to enhance primary care attachment for these underserved groups. Look for these research reports from Wellesley Institute later this year.

𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟲 𝗶𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗷𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘆.
Unintentional injuries are the third leading cause of death in Canada, and in 2023-2024, accounted for 13% of ER visits. But not everyone faces the same risk. Social determinants of health such as age, socioeconomic status and geography are just some of the factors which contribute to higher injury rates.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Institute for Health Information, Atlantic Collaborative on Injury Prevention, Public Health Agency of Canada

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