Kyle Y. Whitfield

My research stems mainly from the discipline of planning. At the core of my research are the following areas of scholarship: community planning which encompasses health service and social planning; community development; public involvement in the development of health services such as the role of communities in addressing palliative care needs such as building a hospice; citizenship and social movements; health equality; rural health and issues relevant to women's health.

The thread weaving throughout much of my academic inquiries are issues and determinants associated with the participation and leadership of community members in planning for and developing improved health conditions. Community capacity building, citizen engagement, quality of life and progress in rural health are highly interrelated.

Degrees

Registered Professional Planner, Canadian Institute of Planners / Alberta Professional Planning Institute, 2010
PhD, School of Planning, University of Waterloo, 2005
MSc, Rural Extension Studies, University of Guelph, 1995
Bachelor of Environmental Studies, Environmental Resources Studies, University of Waterloo, 1990


Awards

Visiting Scholar, St. Thomas University, Atlantic Institute of Qualitative Research and Analysis, Fredericton, New Brunswick. April 2013-June 2013.
Faculty of Extension Research and Scholarship Award, Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta, 2012


Selected Publications

Anderson, S. & Whitfield, K. (2013) Social Identity and Stroke: "They don't make me feel like there's something wrong with me." Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences. Vol.27, Issue 4, pp. 820-830. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-6712.2012.01086.x/pdf

Whitfield, K., Daniels, J.S., Flesaker, K. & Simmons D. (2011) Older Adults with Hoarding Behaviour Aging in Place: Looking to a Collaborative Community-Based Planning Approach for Solutions, Journal of Aging Research. http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jar/2012/205425/

Anderson, S. & Whitfield, K. (2011) An Ecological Approach to Activity after Stroke: It Takes a Community. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation. Sept.-Oct; 18(5):509-24.

Whitfield, K. & Williams, A. (Spring 2010) Growing Palliative Care: The Story of Alberta. In E. Waugh, R. Crutcher, and O. Szafran (Eds.). At the Interface of Culture & Medicine: Contemporary Canadian Studies, University of Alberta Press. p. 35-63.

Williams, A., Crooks, V.A., Whitfield, K., Kelley, M, Richards, J, DeMiglio, L. & Dykeman. S. (2010) Tracking the evolution of hospice palliative care in Canada: A comparative case study of seven provinces. BMC Health Services Research, 10:147. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/10/147


Current Projects

Communities engaged in planning, implementing and evaluating their own health service needs

Community impact of engaged communities as they meet their own hospice care needs