A new research chair will address the
persistent research gap leaving women and their doctors with more
questions than answers.
GUELPH,
ON, April 18, 2024 /CNW/ - Many
statistics describe the prevalence of depression in women and girls
in Canada, but little research is
available to explain the biological factors behind it.
Dr. Benicio Frey, newly appointed
as the inaugural Homewood Research Chair in Women's Mental Health
and Depression, is raising the alarm on a concerning trend of women
with significant mental health concerns that are not being
addressed.
The Homewood Research Chair in Women's Mental Health and
Depression was established through a generous gift from the RBJ
Schlegel Family Foundation to HRI. McMaster
University and HRI have entered into a partnership to
establish this new chair which aims to expand applied research,
bridge knowledge gaps, and enhance mental health outcomes for
women.
According to Frey, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry
and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster
University, the biological changes associated with women's
reproductive phases are an important, but largely unexplored
dimension of women's mental health. There is a critical lack of
evidence on how the interplay between an individual's own biology
and their environment affects women's experience of mental health
concerns and disorders, such as depression.
"We are seeing women and girls experience new or increased
mental health issues during the periods of intense hormonal
fluctuation in their reproductive life cycle," says Frey. "For many
of these people, their concerns have not been adequately addressed
because many common mental health conditions are still neglected in
the medical literature. Their concerns aren't seen as 'mainstream',
which leaves these issues perpetually under-researched." Frey
intends to change this through his work with HRI.
"Dr. Frey is an award-winning clinician scientist in the
neurobiology of mood disorders, and one of Canada's leaders in women's mental health
research," says Dr. Sidney Kennedy,
Executive Director of HRI. "His work will bring new insights into
this underdeveloped field and help advance our understanding of how
women and girls experience depression."
HRI is also uniquely positioned to drive change and improve care
through its primary practice partner, Homewood Health. Homewood
Health is a leading provider of mental health and substance use
treatment services across Canada.
Dr. Carlos Lalonde, President and Chief of Staff at
Homewood Health Centre and Executive Vice President Medical
Services for Homewood Health, says "Homewood Health will play an
important role in rapidly translating Dr. Frey's research into
clinical practice. This collaboration will create new pathways for
learning and complement the Women's Trauma and Concurrent Program
at Homewood Health Centre."
About Homewood Research Institute
(HRI):
HRI is a registered Canadian charity that drives innovation and
applied research to improve the lives of people with mental health
and substance use disorders in Canada. Through strategic partnerships with
leading scientists, service providers and people with lived
experience, HRI is able to test, evaluate and retest treatments to
generate new knowledge in understudied areas.
For more information, please visit: https://HRIresearch.com
About RBJ Schlegel Family
Foundation
RBJ Schlegel is a three generation family business started by
Wilfred Schlegel in the 1940's, and
built upon by his son Ronald. The success of the RBJ Schlegel
family businesses has enabled the Foundation to make meaningful
contributions to charitable organizations where the Schlegel family
believes they can make a difference.
The values by which the family live their lives – humility,
servant leadership, hard work, positive attitude, innovation and
relationship building – form the foundation of the family culture
of the modern organization.
About Homewood Health:
Homewood Health is at the forefront of mental health and
wellbeing, providing an unparalleled continuum of care to
Canadians. We achieve outstanding outcomes every day through our
national network of over 6,000 employees and clinical experts
working in partnership with leading employers, organizations,
researchers and governments.
For more information please visit:
https://homewoodhealth.com
SOURCE Homewood Research Institute