San Patten

Adjunct Professor, B.Sc. Zoology/English, M.Sc. Community Health Sciences (Calgary)

• Research Interests
• Selected Publications
• Selected Presentations

Email:spatten@mta.ca
Office: Avard-Dixon 223
Phone: 364-2232

Research Interests

My research activities have focused on HIV/AIDS-related health and social issues, particularly at the levels of policy development, community-based research, and program evaluation. All of these projects involved collaboration with multiple stakeholders (including government ministries, academic researchers, the private sector and civil society) and required synthesis of their multiple perspectives into broadly acceptable and relevant policies. Due to my focus on HIV/AIDS-related issues over the last ten years, I have gained a strong working knowledge of many of Canada’s most pressing social issues (e.g., poverty, homelessness, addictions, gender inequity, the sex trade, homophobia) and overarching social contexts of marginalization, social stigma and inequalities.

I apply a rights-based approach and a population health lens to analysis of all health and social issues.  The population health perspective aims to improve health inequalities among population groups by examining and acting upon a broad range of factors and conditions that determine health. Using a rights-based approach focuses on the dignity and inherent worth of all individuals, and in the context of essential health and social services, frames access to those services as a human right and the obligation of governments rather than as charity or privilege. I look forward to the opportunity to encourage Mount Allison University’s sociology students to apply these analysis frameworks to the social issues most important to them.

MSc. Thesis Research

In 1999, I completed a Masters of Science in Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. My thesis research project was an ethnography focusing on the social context of HIV risk behaviours among injection drug users. Ethnography is a form of social research that is aimed towards describing a culture and understanding another way of life from the native point of view. I explored patterns of drug use, lifestyle, characteristics, and addictions of my informants and developed a psychosocial “picture” of my informants. I also identified patterns or explanations, and motivators or deterrents of HIV/hepatitis risk assumption or risk reduction. The findings were presented as four vignettes (descriptive literary sketches). Each vignette is a composite representation of IDUs in various social contexts, complete with a picture of how needles and other injection equipment are handled in each scenario: 1) “Sex trade worker on the stroll”; 2) “Shooting gallery”; 3) “Morphine dealer”; and 4) “Heroin user’s apartment.” These vignettes have been used by community-based organizations across Canada to design culturally-appropriate harm reduction programs that are aligned with the lived realities of IDUs.

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Selected Publications

Multisectoral Policies

• Canadian Microbicides Action Plan, Public Health Agency of Canada (2006-2007) – I conducted the research and writing of a new action plan which articulates the vision for Canada’s contributions in developing microbicides: discovery, trials and testing, production, distribution, community engagement, and leadership. This is the first national strategy focusing on microbicides in the world. Microbicides are not yet available, but once developed would be a gel or foam which would    prevent the sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections when applied    topically.

• Community Toolkit: An Environmental Scan of Injection Drug Use, Related Infectious Diseases, High- Risk Behaviours, and Relevant Programming in Atlantic Canada (2007) – I led the research and writing of an environmental scan of injection drug use in the four Atlantic provinces, and the relevant programs and policies. I then developed a plain-language toolkit for community-based    organizations, service providers, and policy makers to translate the findings into action to reduce    the harms associated with injection drug use.

• Coordinated Community Response Plan for Children, Youth and Adults Involved in the Sex Trade in Calgary (2006-2007) – I led a community mapping, best practice review and partnership building process for the United Way of Calgary and Area in order to identify strategies for meeting the health and safety needs of neighbourhoods and individuals affected by the sex trade.

• AIDS Community Action Program, Public Health Agency of Canada (2006) – I led the research and development of a new national funding formula based on the principles of equity, vulnerability and burden. This resource allocation model is being used to allocate funding across Canada’s regions to support community-based HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment and support programs.

• Canadian HIV Vaccines Plan, Public Health Agency of Canada (2006-2008) – I led the research and writing of a new action plan which outlines Canada’s contributions to global efforts to develop safe and effective HIV vaccines from the perspective of researchers, clinicians, community-based organizations, people living with HIV/AIDS, and the private sector. I have also developed policy discussion papers elaborating on the principle of global access and intellectual property issues within Canadian HIV vaccines research and development.

Most Recent Academic Journal Articles

• Mykhalovskiy E, Patten S, Sanders C, Bailey M, Taylor D (2008). Beyond buzzwords:  Towards a community-based model of the integration of HIV treatment and prevention. AIDS Care.  In press.

• Patten S, Mitton C, Donaldson C (2007). From the Trenches: Views from Decision Makers on Health Services Priority-Setting. Insight and Action: 10 (May 2007).

• MacLellan-Wright MF, Patten S, dela Cruz AM, Flaherty A (2007). A participatory approach to the development of an evaluation framework: process, pitfalls and payoffs. Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation: 22(1), 99-124.

• Patten S (2006).  Strategies for Incorporating Research into Our Everyday Work. HIV Prevention Plus Newsletter, Canadian Public Health Association: 7(1), 3.

Book Chapters