Single moms raising healthy kids in rural, northern Ontario

Parents will tell you they're constantly bombarded with advice whether they want it or not on how to raise a healthy child.

Laurel O'Gorman, a Ph.D. student of Northern and Rural Healthy at Laurentian University,is conducting research into single mothers in rural, northeastern Ontario and how they are able to raise healthy children on a limited income.

She says much of the advice parents are given on how to raisehealthy children,comes from previous studies done in urban areas, like Toronto.

O'Gorman says she couldn't find any studies that lookedat how to overcome barriers that might crop upin trying to raise healthy children in rural communities.

O'Gormanis in the gathering data stage of her research. She has traveledto some rural communities already to conduct interviews with single moms. Those includeTemiskaming,Espanola,Sagimok, Sault Ste Marie, as well as some outlying areas of Sudbury.She will beheading toTimminsnext.

She saysshe's been hearing about barriers these single mothers face while trying to raisetheir children. For example, there is a lack of publictransportation or their home is too far away from healthierfood sources.

On the other hand, O'Gorman saysshe's also been learning about certain strengthsand benefits to living in rural areas. Families can grow their own produce in backyard gardens orchildren are able to play outside without a lot of supervision.

Barriers and benefits to rural living

As part of her research, O'Gormangoes on "food excursions"witheach of the women she interviews.

Thewomen take herwhere they go to get food, whether it is toa grocery store, a food bank, a farm or a farmers' market. During this excursion they use thetransportation method the women would normallyuse to get this food, which may bewalking, driving or usingpublic transit, if it exists.

O'Gorman says these food excursions allowthe women to feel like they are a part of the research process.Plus, as the researcher O'Gorman says this allows her to identify certainbarriers these women face in acquiring healthy food for their children.

She is still looking to hear from women who live in even morerural areas of the north, and invites them to email heratld_ogorman@laurentian.ca.

Once her research study is complete,O'Gormanhopes organizations in northeastern Ontario use her findings toimprove upon current barriers that exist.

She also hopes these agencies learn from the strengths connected toliving in rural areas, or perhaps share some best practices throughout the various communities.