ENSURE HEALTHY LIVES AND PROMOTE WELL-BEING FOR ALL, AND AT ALL AGES
SDG 3 aims to reduce the number of preventable illnesses and deaths from all causes, including both infectious and non-communicable diseases, mental health, substance abuse, road traffic accidents, sexual and reproductive health, pollution, and more. Health research is an increasingly important part of the University’s contribution, as are its health professional training programs and health and wellness programs on campus.
Campus Wellness and Wellness Collaborative
Campus Wellness (CW) provides primary medical and mental health care to students. It takes a client-centered approach to plan and implement programs and services that are respectful, responsive and adaptive. Occupational Health works closely with managers, supervisors, human resources, and individual employees to maintain, promote and restore employee health, safety & wellbeing. CW leads the Wellness Collaborative to mobilize the commitments of the Okanagan Charter. This strategy focuses on fostering personal development, supportive environments and policies for mental health and resilience, physical health, social health and belonging, spiritual well–being, and institutional commitment to wellness at all levels.
Public Health Program
Doctors might help a dozen or so patients a day. Public health professionals help thousands. The Public Health Undergraduate program explores how social, cultural, political, and environmental conditions play a pivotal role in health — and how understanding these factors can address health challenges, including mental ill-health, non-communicable diseases, and infectious diseases.
Optometry
Optometrists are dedicated to enhancing overall well-being by helping people see. Optometry students are trained at the highest scope of North American practice for primary and specialty eye and vision care. Recognized globally among the top 5 schools for research impact, Optometry is tackling the biggest challenges in vision research identified by the WHO — from fundamental biomedical research to clinical trials for sight-saving treatments — through interdisciplinary collaboration at Waterloo and beyond.
Global Health Policy and Innovation Research Centre
The Global Health Policy and Innovation Research Centre is working to advance improvements in the health of populations across the world through multi-disciplinary research and policy work carried out by faculty members across the University of Waterloo in collaboration with researchers and practitioners in other organizations across Canada and the world.
International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project
The International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project is the first-ever international cohort study of tobacco use, and the University of Waterloo is a contributor. Its overall objective is to measure the psychosocial and behavioural impact of key national level policies of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The Project is a collaborative effort with international health organizations and policymakers in 31 countries so far, inhabited by >50% of the world's population, >60% of the world's smokers, and >70% of the world's tobacco users.
Centre for Community, Clinical and Applied Research Excellence
The Centre for Community, Clinical and Applied Research Excellence is a unique, multidisciplinary team of researchers, certified exercise specialists, clinical experts, graduate students and staff that strive to improve the overall health of individuals in the community through advanced research, educational opportunities, and progressive outreach programs. Their comprehensive tools and technology help to advance knowledge in preventing and managing illness and injury, while optimizing health.