As a concept, ECHO represents the bouncing back of ideas. The word is fun, familiar and welcomed by children and embodies ECHO’s child-centric approach to research.
ECHO is a research group dedicated to the study of health and health-related quality of life issues in children and young adults. The group is comprised of innovative faculty at Laurentian University who share a common interest in improving the health of children through research.
The team combines expertise from the fields of clinical epidemiology (Dr. Nancy Young), health geography (Dr. Nicole Yantzi), kinesiology (Dr. Alain Gauthier), psychology (Dr. Michel Lariviere), and social work (Dr. Diana Coholic). The group is lead by Dr. Nancy L. Young, from the School of Rural and Northern Health, who holds a Canada Research Chair in Rural and Northern Children’s health. Expertise in paediatrics is brought to the group via connections to the Hospital for Sick Children.
The ECHO group’s research focuses on vulnerable populations including:
· children and youth with physical disabilities
· children in care
· children and youth in rural and northern regions
· Aboriginal children and youth
· accessibility and inclusivity of children, particularly in the school environment
· design and effectiveness of innovative intervention programs including arts-based therapy and outdoor adventure leadership programs
Core Faculty members include:
Dr. Nancy Young (Director)
Dr. Diana Coholic
Dr. Alain Gauthier
Dr. Sylvie Larocque
Prof. Stephen Ritchie
Dr. Annie Roy-Charland
Dr. Nicole Yantzi
Non-Core Faculty members include:
Dr. Michel Lariviére
