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 raise healthy children, comes from previous studies done in urban areas, like Toronto.

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

O'Gorman is in the gathering data stage of her research. She has traveled to some rural communities already to conduct interviews with single moms. Those include Temiskaming, Espanola, Sagimok, Sault Ste Marie, as well as some outlying areas of Sudbury. She will be heading to Timmins next.

She says she's been hearing about barriers these single mothers face while trying to raise their children. For example, there is a lack of public transportation or their home is too far away from healthier food sources.

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

Barriers and benefits to rural living

As part of her research, O'Gorman goes on "food excursions" with each of the women she interviews.

The women take her where they go to get food, whether it is to a grocery store, a food bank, a farm or a farmers' market. During this excursion they use the transportation method the women would normally use to get this food, which may be walking, driving or using public transit, if it exists.

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

She is still looking to hear from women who live in even more rural areas of the north, and invites them to email her at ld_ogorman@laurentian.ca. 

Once her research study is complete, O'Gorman hopes organizations in northeastern Ontario use her findings to improve upon current barriers that exist.

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