Theme Description

The goal of the Maternal-Child Health (MCH) theme is to improve the health and well-being of women, children, youth and their families. Maternal and Child Health, within Public Health, takes a population-based perspective on research, education, advocacy, and administration.

Students interested in this area can follow a curriculum in physical and cognitive development, health problems, relevant health services and policies, appropriate research methods, and program planning and evaluation. Typically, MCH practitioners are involved with infrastructure building (e.g. needs assessment to identify essential gaps in existing programs serving mothers and children, enhancement of information systems, standards development), population health monitoring (e.g. incidence of very low birth weight infants, incidence of adolescent suicide) and applied prevention research (e.g. planning and evaluation of home-based injury prevention programs for toddlers). MCH works at a systems level to complement direct services provided by clinical practice providers.

MCH Website

The Maternal Child Health Theme launched its own website in December 2011. It can be found at mch.spph.ubc.ca

Scholarship Opportunity

The Women's Health Research Institute is offering a $3,000 scholarship to an MSc or PhD student who is undertaking a thesis in the area of maternal child health. Please direct inquiries to Frances Simpson at mch@cw.bc.ca.

Theme Leaders

Patti Janssen and Tim Oberlander