The Threads Lab weaves research, implementation and a community approach for better health outcomes here in Canada and around the world. We use implementation research and pragmatic research designs in order to understand the challenges and barriers hindering effective health programming. Our team works in partnership with community members and health programs to design and test feasible solutions, creating an evidence base for scale-up and sustainability.  

Our research portfolio can be characterised by the goals of reducing inequities, creating community ownership and finding efficiencies for effective health programmes. Many of our projects focus on programmes to control or eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in the Asian, African and American regions. In Canada, the Threads Lab works in Ottawa with community organisations through a social pediatrics programme to reduce toxic stresses faced by families living in vulnerable circumstances. 

Specific research interests include: 

• The acceptability of new health interventions and treatments by developing and validating new tools and methods 

• Recognition of inequities in NTD programs by identifying individuals who regularly miss treatment and designing approaches to reduce hesitancy 

• Approaches to strengthen community health volunteers and ensure that they are resilient in their work  

• Novel research methods to evaluate health interventions in complex populations 

• Design of effective communications approaches for health messaging 

• Translation of research evidence into policy and action