Creating Places, Designing Spaces, Shaping Health

MISSION
To generate rigorous evidence that informs the design of inclusive, health-promoting built environments.
To advance scientific knowledge in the fields of urban planning and public health, shaping neighbourhood design policy in Canada and internationally.

PROJECTS
We are continuously investigating the relationship between the built environment and population health. Our findings can be used by policy makers and practitioners to create physical activity supportive environments that promote health and wellbeing. Find more information about our current research projects below.
RESEARCH UPDATES
Comparing Perceived and Objective Measures of Built Environments in Canada
Age differences in perceived environmental supports and barriers highlight the need to address age-related disparities to improve walkability. Future research should consider the relationship between perceived and objective built environment features and their impact on physical activity.
Attitudes Towards Supervised Consumption Sites and E-Health Overdose Response Interventions
The CNQOM is the first online questionnaire in Canada designed to capture perspectives and attitudes towards specific elements of SCSs and ORHAs among diverse key informant groups. Our questionnaire was administered to a large, geographically diverse sample and designed to capture the perspectives of four key informant groups. Lower than expected test–retest reliability may be explained by lack of participant familiarity with SCS and especially ORHAs and the impersonal nature of the instrument content among some respondents. Future work will elucidate key informant perspectives on these services based on the data.
Reliability and Validity of the Multidimensional Health-Related Fitness Scale
This study examined the reliability and validity of single-item self-reported HRF measures of aerobic fitness, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, coordination, agility, and body composition, finding that the MHFS provides a reliable and valid HRF indicator among younger adult populations.
RESEARCH FINDINGS

Dr. Gavin McCormack
PhD (Public Health)
MSc (Sports Science)
BSc (Human Movement)
Dr. Gavin McCormack leads the Built Environment and Healthy Living Research Lab. He holds a faculty appointment as a Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine (University of Calgary, Canada),
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