What are Upstream Approaches?
Think about the most powerful forces in society that distribute wealth, power, resources and opportunities, advantaging some over others. We call these forces structural determinants. These forces are not inherently fair and just. In fact, structural determinants create systems of oppression that profoundly affect people’s lives. This includes things like racism, colonialism, patriarchy, classism and ableism (among others).1
Collectively, the impact of these social and political systems is referred to as structural violence. Structural violence is synonymous with social injustice and frames health inequities as an act of violence.2
Upstream approaches focus on social justice by acknowledging these often unseen systems as the root causes of inequity within and between communities. Upstream approaches work to influence and transform these systems in order to build brighter communities where everyone has access to the same opportunities.3,4
Read more in What Are Upstream Approaches? A Primer.
CoI Goals
The Upstream Approaches Community of Interest (CoI) aims to:
- Deepen our collective understanding of upstream approaches and determinants and their role in addressing inequity and harm.
- Raise awareness of the importance of upstream approaches to achieving greater community safety and well-being.
- Build capacity to identify interventions and strategies to address structural inequity and advocate for including upstream approaches.
CoI Leads
Sheena Albanese, Health Promotion Planner, Thunder Bay Public Health Unit,
Sheena.albanese@tbdhu.com
Rilee Willianen, City of Thunder Bay, Rilee.willianen@thunderbay.ca
EENet Knowledge Broker
David Phillips, David.phillips@camh.ca
Become a CoI Member
The Upstream Approaches CoI provides an opportunity for interested individuals to learn about, develop, and deepen their understanding of upstream approaches.
There are two ways to participate:
- Join our mailing list to receive news, learning opportunities and resources about upstream approaches.
- Join our local (Thunder Bay) Upstream Approaches working group meeting approximately every two months to share in conversations on upstream topics and help plan knowledge mobilization activities.
To join our mailing list or participate in the working group, please email Sheena.Albanese@tbdhu.com.
References
- Illinois Department of Public Health. Understanding Social Determinants of Health. 2024. Accessed January 30, 2024. https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/lifestages-populations/infant-mortality/toolkit/understanding-sdoh.html
- De Maio F, Ansell D. “As Natural as the Air Around Us”: On the Origin and Development of the Concept of Structural Violence in Health Research. Int J Health Serv. 2018;48(4):749-759. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020731418792825
- Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council. WRCPC Upstream Prevention Video [Video]. YouTube. Published March 7, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=YbFXx99k6NI
- Harvard Global Health Institute. Systems of oppression. 2024. Accessed January 30, 2024. https://globalhealth.harvard.edu/domains/systems-of-oppression/
Check out the rest of EENet's CoIs/CoPs here: https://kmb.camh.ca/eenet/communities.