Eric Crighton

Associate Professor, Department of Geography

Member of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and thereby authorized to supervise theses.

Office: Simard 06
Telephone: 613-562-5800, ext. 1065
E-mail: eric.crighton@uOttawa.ca

 

Research Interests

My research focuses on the themes of environment and health, geographies of health and healthcare, child health, psychosocial health and environmental risk perception. My research is multidisciplinary in nature and involves the use of a wide range of research methods and data sources.

On to the theme of risk perception and psychosocial health, I am currently leading a three year SSHRC funded project examining how new mothers perceive and negotiate environmental health risks across socioeconomic, geographic and environmental contexts. Details about this study can be found at the following web site: www.ehri.uottawa.ca/. Related past work includes studies on the psychosocial impacts of the SARS outbreak on Toronto hospital workers as well as a study investigating psychosocial impacts of the Aral Sea disaster in Karakalpakstan where I worked with Médecins Sans Frontières. More recent work in the Aral Sea Area includes an assessment for UNICEF of the capacity of the region’s health care system to address child environmental health problems.

Much of my past research has employed spatial and temporal approaches to study patterns of respiratory disease and other conditions and their potential determinants. I have published numerous papers on pneumonia and influenza, and asthma outcomes and their relationship to environmental, socioeconomic, and healthcare factors.

I also have a strong interest in Aboriginal and Métis Health and in recent years have been involved in projects with the Métis Nation of Ontario studying chronic respiratory diseases, the Assembly of First Nations analyzing the First Nations Regional Health Survey (RHS), and with Indian and Northern Affairs examining the relationship between asthma and socioeconomic and geographic factors.

I am the director of the CFI funded Health and Environment Analysis Laboratory (HEALab). This laboratory houses state of the art computers, audio-visual equipment, a secure server for data storage and the latest versions of qualitative and quantitative data analysis software including GIS. Much of my research, and that of my graduate students, is conducted

University degrees

2005 – PhD, Geography, McMaster University, School of Geography and Earth Sciences

2000 – MA, Geography, McMaster University, School of Geography and Earth Sciences

1995 – BA, Honours Geography, University of Ottawa

Fields of interest

  • Health geography
  • Environment and health
  • Risk perception and psychosocial health
  • Child health
  • First Nations and Métis health
  • Respiratory diseases
  • The Aral Sea disaster

Career

2010 to present: Associate Professor, Department of Geography, University of Ottawa

2006 to 2010:    Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, University of Ottawa

2001 to 2005: Senior Research Associate, Primary Care Research Unit, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto.

Scholarly and professional activities

Director,  Health and Environment Analysis Laboratory (HEALab)

Adjunct Scientist, Institute for Clinical and Evaluative Sciences (ICES)

Co-ordinator, Undergraduate Program, Department of Geography

Academic Co-ordinator, Co-operative Education Program Co-ordinating Committee

Courses taught

  • ENV1101 Global Environmental Challenges
  • ENV4920 Environmental Studies Research Seminar: Environment and Health
  • GEG2918 Field Camp 1
  • GEG3303 Health Geography
  • GEG5105 Geographies of Health and Healthcare

Selected publications (past 7 years):

Papers in Refereed Journals:

  • Crighton EJ, Barwin L, Small, I., Upshur, REG. What have we learned? A review of the literature on children’s health and the environment in the Aral Sea Area. International Journal of Public Health. 56(2):125-138. 2011
  • Crighton EJ, Wilson K, Senécal S. The relationship between geographic and socioeconomic factors and asthma amongCanada’s Aboriginal populations: an analysis of the 2001 Aboriginal People’s Survey.  International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 69(2):138-150. 2010
  • To T, Guttmann A,  Lougheed MD, Gershon AS, Dell SD, Stanbrook MB, Wang C., McLimont S, Vasilevska-Ristovska J, Crighton EJ, Fisman DN.  Evidence-based performance indicators of primary care for asthma: a modified RAND Appropriateness Method.  International Journal for Quality in Health Care 22(6):476-485. 2010
  • Driedger M, Kothari A, Graham ID, Cooper E,  Crighton EJ, Zahab M,  Morrison J, Sawada M. If you build it, they still may not come:  Outcomes and process of implementing a community-based integrated knowledge translation mapping innovation.  Implementation Science 5:47: 2010 (35 pages). http://www.implementationscience.com/content/5/1/47/abstract
  • Crighton EJ, Elliott SJ, Moinnedin R, Kanaroglu P, Upshur R.  Spatial-Temporal Analysis of Pneumonia and Influenza Hospitalizations in Ontario, Canada.  Geospatial Health. 2(2): 191-202. 2008.
  • Kothari A, Driedger M, Bickford J, Morrison J, Sawada M, Graham I, Crighton EJ. Mapping as a knowledge translation tool for Ontario Early Years Centres: views from data analysts and managers. Implementation Science. 3(4). 2008. (9 pages)
  • Driedger M, Kothari A , Morrison J, Sawada M, Crighton EJ, Graham ID. Using participatory design to develop (public) health decision support systems through GIS.  International Journal of Health Geography. 6(53). 2007. (11 pages)

  • Crighton EJ, Elliott SJ, Moinnedin R, Kanaroglu P, Upshur R. A spatial analysis of the determinants of pneumonia and influenza hospitalizations in Ontario (1992-2001).  Social Science and Medicine. 64(8):1636-1650. 2007
  • Warner E, Crighton EJ, Moineddin R, Mamdani M, Upshur REG. A 14-year study of hospital admissions for diverticular disease in Ontario, Canada. Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology. 21(2):97-9. 2007
  • Bordman R, Bovett M, Drummond N, Crighton EJ, Wheler D, Moineddin R, White D. Typology of after-hours care instructions for patients:Telephone survey and multivariate analysis. Canadian Family Physician. 53. 2007.
  • Crighton EJ, Elliott SJ, Moinnedin R, Kanaroglu P, Upshur R.  An exploratory spatial analysis of pneumonia and influenza hospitalizations in Ontario by age and gender.  Epidemiology and Infection. 135(2):253-61. 2007
  • Upshur REG, Moineddin R, Crighton EJ, Mamdani M. Interactions of Viral Pathogens on Hospital Admissions for Pneumonia, Croup and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.  Epidemiology and Infection.  Dec;134(6):1174-8. 2006.
  • Upshur REG, Moineddin R, Crighton EJ, Mamdani M. Does seasonality of service provision in hip and knee surgery contribute to waiting times? BMC Health Services Research. 6(22). 2006.
  • Leong A, Crighton EJ, Moinnedin R, Mamdani M, Upshur R.  A Time Series Analysis of Senile Cataract Hospitalizations in Ontario.  BMC Ophthalmology. 6(2). 2006.
  • Crighton EJ, Creighton E, Drummond N. The evaluation of a social work program in a hospital-based family practice setting in Ontario.  International Social Work. 48(6):725-731. 2005.
  • Crighton EJ, Bordman R, White D, Franssen E, Bovett M, Wheler D, Drummond N, On behalf of the North Toronto Primary Care Research Network (Nortren).   After-hours care in Canada: Analysis of the 2001 National Family Physicians Workforce Survey. Canadian Family Physician.51. 2005.
  • Vrbova L, Crighton EJ, Mamdani M, Moineddin R, Upshur R.  Temporal Analysis of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Ontario, Canada.  Canadian Journal of Cardiology. 21(10): 841-845. 2005
  • Segal A, Crighton EJ, Moinnedin R, Mamdani M, Upshur R. Croup Hospitalizations in Ontario: A 14-Year Time Series Analysis. Pediatrics.116(1). pp. 51-55. 2005.
  • Bordman R, Wheler D, Drummond N, White D, Crighton EJ, Policies and guidelines for family physicians’ and general practitioners’ coverage after hours: a national survey.Canadian Family Physician. 51: 2005. (9 pages)
  • Rosser W, Dovey S, Bordman R, White D, Crighton EJ, Drummond N.  Medical Errors in Family Practice in Canada:  Results from the LINNAEUS Collaboration Primary Care International.  Canadian Family Physician. 51: 246-252. 2005.
  • Upshur R, Moinnedin R, Crighton EJ, Keifer L, Mamdani M.  Simplicity within Complexity: Predictability of Hospital Admissions in the Province of Ontario 1988 to 2001, a Population Based Analysis.  BMC: Health Services Research.  5(13). 2005.  (7 pages)
  • Crighton EJ, Moinnedin M, Upshur R, Mamdani M.  Influenza and pneumonia hospitalizations: a population level time series analysis. Epidemiology and Infection. 132:1167-1174. 2004.
  • Upshur R., Moinnedin R, Crighton EJ, Mamdani M.  Is there a clinically significant seasonal component to hospital admissions for atrial fibrillation?  BMC: Health Services Research. 4(5). 2004. (7 pages)
  • Nickell L, Crighton EJ, Tracy S, Al-Enazy H, Bolaji Y, Hanjrah S, Hussain A, Makhlouf S, Upshur R. Psychosocial effects of SARS on hospital staff: survey of a large tertiary care institution. Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). 170(5): 793-798. 2004.
  • Moineddin R, Upshur R, Crighton E, Mamdani M.  Autoregression as a means of assessing the strength of seasonality in a time series.  Population Health Metrics. 1(10). 2003. (7 pages)
  • Crighton EJ, Elliott, SJ, van der Meer J, Small I, Upshur R.  Impacts of an Environmental Disaster on psychosocial health and well-being in Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan).  Social Science and Medicine.  56(3): 557-573. 2003.
  • Crighton EJ, Moinnedin R, Upshur REG, Mamdani M. The seasonality of total hospitalizations in Ontario by age and gender: a time series analysis. Canadian Journal of Public Health 94(6): 453-457. 2003.
  • Crighton EJ, Upshur R, van der Meer J, Small I, Elliott S.  The Aral Sea Disaster and Self-Rated Health. Journal of Health and Place.  9(2): 73-82. 2003.
  • Crighton EJ, Upshur REG, Mamdani M. A population based time series analysis of Asthma hospitalizations in Ontario, Canada: 1988 to 2000. BMC Health Services Research. 1(7). 2001. (6 pages)

Chapters in Books:

  •  Upshur R and Crighton EJ. Chapter 8: Environmental Health in the Aral Sea Area: Past Achievements, Future Prospects. In: Environmental Health in Central Asia. Fayzieva D (ed.). Wessex: Wessex Institute of Technology Press. 2004. pp.243-257.
  •  van der Meer J, Small I, Crighton EJ, Ford N. Chapter 9: Psychosocial health and well-being in the Aral Sea area: Results from a survey in an area of slow environmental degradation. In Havenaar J, Cwikel J, Julie G, Bromet E. (eds). Toxic Turmoil: Psychological and Societal Consequences of Ecological Disasters.  New York, NY: Kluwer Publishers. 2003. pp.163-182.

Technical Reports:

  • Klein-Geltink J; Cascagnette P; Gershon A; To T; Crighton EJ; Gravelle M; Pigeau; MacQuarrie, J. Chronic Respiratory Disease in the Métis Nation of Ontario (Technical Report).  Prepared for the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO). (Forthcoming)
  • Assembly of First Nations.  First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey (RHS) 2007/08:  Results for adults, youth and children living in First Nations Communities.  Co-author of Ch. 1 (Demographics, Education and Employment), Ch. 14 (Self-rated health and Health Utility Index) and Ch.30 (Health Care Utilization - Youth). Ottawa. (Forthcoming)
  • Crighton EJ, Wilson K, Senécal S.  Report on the relationship between geographic and socioeconomic factors and asthma amongCanada’s Aboriginal populations.  Prepared for Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. May, 2009
  • Crighton EJ. An Assessment of Children’s Health and Health Care Capacity in the Aral Sea Area: Final Report. Prepared for: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Uzbekistan. April, 2008.
  • Tracey S, Small I, Crighton EJ, Kolb T, Upshur, R (on behalf of the Aral Sea Health and Environment Consortium).  Developing a Risk Communication Strategy for the MSF Aral Sea Area program.  Prepared for: Médecins San Frontières-Holland, November 2004.
  • Crighton EJ.An Assessment of Children’s Health and Health Care Capacity in the Aral Sea Area: Final Report. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Canadian Public Health Association. April, 2008.
  • Crighton EJ. The results of a patient satisfaction survey of the Family Practice Unit at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto. 2002. Thesis Supervision

 

Thesis Supervision

Rajendra Subedi (PhD) – Environmental risk perception among new mothers

Lynn Barwin (MA) – Self-care practices among Manitoulin First Nations

Mary-Ann Jenkins (PhD) – Access to primary health care among new immigrants

Kaila-Lea Clarke (MA) – Public health system capacity and climate change

 

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Last updated: 2011.04.14