Research summary
The COVID-19 pandemic raised many questions about what happens when gender and cultural norms intersect with regulations and the development of public health information about vaccines, infectious diseases and health risks. For example, many pandemic responses lacked consideration for pregnancy and for pregnant women’s need to receive and give care.
As Canada Research Chair in Regulation, Social Governance, and Inequities in Health, Dr. Terra Manca is studying vaccination in pregnancy, vaccine uptake, and health governance. She and her research team aim to demonstrate how regulatory governance and policy can interact to (re)produce social inequities. They are also exploring how gender and intersecting social locations (race, class, age and more) shape health governance, including vaccination. Finally, they are advancing ideas about how efforts to contain infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, often transfer the responsibility for mitigating health risks and providing care to individuals. Ultimately, their work will inform policy recommendations to improve health and reduce inequities.