Prof. Monica Parry’s latest study seeks to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease in women from underrepresented populations
Source: https://bloomberg.nursing.utoronto.ca/media/prof-monica-parrys-latest-study-seeks-to-reduce-risk-of-cardiovascular-disease-in-women-from-underrepresented-populations/ Parent: https://bloomberg.nursing.utoronto.ca/news/
24 February 2026
Professor Monica Parry. Photo by Horst Herget
In collaboration with the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance, Professor Monica Parry of the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing is leading a study – the first of its kind in Canada – to engage under-served communities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk research and decision-making.
The Cardiovascular Risk AcrOss the Lifespan with WomeN, INtersex, Gender Diverse and other Under-Served People in Canada (CROWNING US) study Parry says, is driven by the fact that women are dying younger of heart disease and stroke, and there is a significant need to increase knowledge about the risks of cardiovascular disease and reduce mortality among underserved populations, include Black and South Asian populations and women who live in rural communities.
While risks vary across racial and ethnic groups, research has also shown that age, gender, sex, and socioeconomic status are contributing factors in knowledge gaps related to understanding cardiovascular risk, and cardiovascular symptoms. Certain genetic factors common in certain ethnic groups, and the use of hormone therapy in gender diverse people, have also been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, making it even more important to raise awareness within these groups.
“We want to use this opportunity to not only raise awareness but also build partnerships with communities to become collaborators on this research moving forward,” says Parry. “Establishing priorities with them is the first step in making this work successful.”
Engaging in research with partners instead of on them is a key Parry adds, because it is imperative to build trust in communities that have often been treated poorly by researchers or not provided an opportunity to have their voices heard at all.
“Through this work, we are trying to create a safe space for our partners to feel like they can share their stories and share the barriers and possible facilitators to their care, so we can improve outcomes,” says Parry.
The study uses the Connect the Dots framework, an evidence-based approach that Parry and her fellow researchers say will increase knowledge about cardiovascular risk, increase connections among under-served people, and improve readiness for collaboration.
One of the first steps has been engaging organizations like the Sickle Cell Awareness Group of Ontario, and the Council for Agencies Serving South Asian to host awareness events and roundtable discussions to get partners interested in the topic and establish future priority setting workshops. Some of the engagement events have already yielded important discussions from community members about understanding CVD symptoms, and risks related to pregnancy, menopause, and when to seek urgent care. There have also been requests to make health promotion materials more accessible in a variety of languages that reflect different cultures and communities.
In the preliminary stages of this project, Parry has already seen important knowledge translation tools and resources being developed as a result of these collaborations such as informational social reels, created by patient partners, discussing their experiences with CVD related conditions, ultimately supporting an increased awareness of CVD risk in their communities.
“Our overarching vision is to reduce cardiovascular risk in underserved populations in Canada, and together with our patient partners, we will be able to maximize our research impact and build capacity to reduce mortality,” says Parry.
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