As a medical sociologist, Kate’s research centres around the social determinants of health, the construction of biomedical knowledge, and the application of intersectional frameworks to health research. In collaboration with the BC Centre on Substance Use, Kate is working to understand the experiences of marginalized populations in medical research. In collaboration with the BC Centre on Substance Use, Kate is working to understand the experiences of marginalized populations in medical research.
Research Description
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have long been considered the gold standard for medical research. In efforts to improve the design and implementation of RCTs, scholars have begun identifying factors that affect RCT participation and consequently, the effective and ethical conduct of medical research and broader health outcomes. These effects may be amplified in research with people who use drugs (PWUD), given the complex interplay of social and structural issues affecting their participation, including stigma, criminalization, and poverty. Yet little research has explored RCT participation among PWUD, despite the health harms of substance use disorders and need for effective, evidence-based medical treatments. To address this gap, in collaboration with Dr. Lindsey Richardson, my research aims to: 1) identify social and structural influences on research participation among PWUD; 2) understand links between trust, perceptions of healthcare providers, RCT experiences, and study outcomes; and 3) explore mechanisms to improve RCT operations as well as research experiences for PWUD.
The Faculty of Arts Research Awards are to assist graduate students (PhD and Masters) based in the Faculty in research directly associated with their degree program.
Read more about Kate’s research here.
