Because of the harms of racism, settler colonialism, sexism, and other structural violence, people deprived of housing face a disproportionate amount of health related harms. But people facing these harms are also part of strong, resilient communities. Our research in this area aims to understand the social determination of health and the brilliance of people and communities surviving and thriving in the face of structural violence.
MD, CCFP
Assistant Clinical Professor
Robin Lennox has been a Family Physician and faculty member with the Department of Family Medicine since 2017. She has a clinical focus in the care of people who use drugs, which includes working with the Rapid Access Addiction Medicine Clinic and the Program for Substance Use in Pregnancy at the Maternity Centre of Hamilton. She is co-Head of Service for the Inpatient Addiction Medicine Service at Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. In addition, Dr. Lennox works with the Shelter Health Network providing primary care for people deprived of housing. She has a diverse research portfolio aimed at improving models of care delivery and the health outcomes of people who use drugs with infectious complications, and improving the experiences of people who use drugs when interacting with the health system.
Special Interests: Care of People Who Use Drugs, Addiction Medicine, HIV primary care, gender diverse care, care of people deprived of housing.
Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct)
Research and Scholarship Program Director
Claire Bodkin is a queer femme, family physician, and white settler living on Anishinaabe territory on the Saugeen Peninsula. Her medical practice includes care for people who use drugs, care for queer and trans people, and full scope rural generalist practice. Her research practice is focused on community driven participatory research methods, the health of people who are incarcerated, and the health of people who use drugs. She is the Postgraduate Research and Scholarship Director with the Department of Family Medicine.
Research Coordinator
Alisha started working at DFM in June 2022 and has thoroughly enjoyed her time since. She is coordinating a few projects that aim to improve health outcomes of people who use drugs by mitigating the harms associated with drug use. Alisha’s interest in harm reduction began during her time working in McGill University residences when safer sex and drug use were prioritized over punitive approaches. Alisha is excited to be conducting research that uses mixed methods designs and participatory action approaches to work with service users. Outside of work hours, you can find her biking, hiking, or climbing in Hamilton.
Peer Investigator
Jammy Lo Pierre was born in Ottawa and finished high school in Hamilton. She is now an accomplished model, actress, and singer in her own right. As a peer investigator, she has had to navigate the ins and outs of the shelter system in Hamilton, and brings both lived experience and research expertise to the research team. She knows how to ask questions in a sensitive way that allows research participants to share honestly and openly, and ensures that research findings and recommendations are appropriate and useful to people deprived of housing.
Care of PDOH, News, Research
Care of PDOH, Research Project Update
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February 2026