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Eric Crighton, PhD

Eric Crighton (he/him) is a Full Professor in the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics at the University of Ottawa, Co-Director of the Environment, Community and Health (ECoH) Lab, and Adjunct Scientist at the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES).  He is a Health Geographer whose research is focused broadly on understanding relationships between social, economic and physical environments, and human health and well-being.  Dr. Crighton has published widely on themes including environmental and socioeconomic determinants of health, environmental disasters and psychosocial health, environmental risk perceptions and protective behaviour, and environmental health education.  

We are so deeply saddened by the passing of Eric, who has been an inspiration to students and colleagues alike. The Eric Crighton Mentorship Award will be given out for the first time in 2025 by the Canadian Association of Geographers to recognize his meaningful contributions in this area.

Publications

Journal Articles

Book Chapters

Reports

Research Projects

The Prenatal Environmental Health Education (PEHE) Collaboration

Water Security for Northern Peoples: An interdisciplinary approach to understanding the influence of environmental change on freshwater sustainability

iCARE-PD

Stanescu, Cristina & Talarico, Robert & Weichenthal, Scott & Villeneuve, Paul & Smargiassi, Audrey & Stieb, David & To, Teresa & Hebbern, Christopher & Crighton, Eric & Lavigne, Eric. (2024). Early life exposure to pollens and increased risks of childhood asthma: a prospective cohort study in Ontario children. European Respiratory Journal. 63. 2301568. 10.1183/13993003.01568-2023.

Miron-Celis, Marcel & Talarico, Robert & Villeneuve, Paul & Crighton, Eric & Stieb, David & Stanescu, Cristina & Lavigne, Eric. (2023). Critical Windows of Exposure to Air pollution and Gestational Diabetes: Assessing Effect Modification by Maternal Pre-Existing Conditions and Environmental Factors. 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2231800/v1.

Lavigne, Eric & Talarico, Robert & Donkelaar, Aaron & Martin, Randall & Stieb, David & Crighton, Eric & Weichenthal, Scott & Smith-Doiron, Marc & Burnett, Richard & Chen, Hong. (2021). Fine particulate matter concentration and composition and the incidence of childhood asthma. Environment International. 152. 106486. 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106486.

Lavigne, Eric & Lima, Isac & Hatzopoulou, Marianne & Van Ryswyk, Keith & Donkelaar, Aaron & Martin, Randall & Chen, Hong & Stieb, David & Crighton, Eric & Burnett, Richard & Weichenthal, Scott. (2020). Ambient ultrafine particle concentrations and incidence of childhood cancers. Environment international. 145. 106135. 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106135.

Elten, Michael & Donelle, Jessy & Lima, Isac & Burnett, Richard & Weichenthal, Scott & Stieb, David & Hystad, Perry & Donkelaar, Aaron & Chen, Hong & Paul, Lauren & Crighton, Eric & Martin, Randall & Decou, Mary & Luo, Wei & Lavigne, Eric. (2020). Ambient air pollution and incidence of early-onset paediatric type 1 diabetes: A retrospective population-based cohort study. Environmental Research. 184. 109291. 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109291.

Caulley, Lisa & Sawada, Michael & Crighton, Eric & Khoury, Michel & Kontorinis, Georgios. (2020). Association between socioeconomic indicators and geographic distribution of vestibular schwannomas in West Scotland: a 15-year review. The Journal of Laryngology & Otology. 134. 1-9. 10.1017/S0022215120002212.

Eltena M, Donellec J, Limac I, Burnett RT, Weichenthal S, Stieba,D, Hystadg P, van Donkelaarh A, Chen H, Paul L, Crighton EJ, Martin R, Decou M-L, Luo W and Lavigne E. Ambient air pollution and incidence of early-onset paediatric diabetes: a retrospective population-based cohort study. Environmental Research. 184: 2020 May.

Lavigne E, Lima I, Hatzopoulou M, Van Ryswyk K, Decou M, Luo W, Martin R, Chen H, Stieb D, Crighton EJ, et al. Spatial variations in ambient ultrafine particle concentrations and risk of congenital heart defects.  Environment International. 130: 2019 Sept.

Lavigne E, Donelle J, Hatzopoulou M, van Ryswyk K, van Donkelaar A, Martin R, Chen H, Stieb D, Gasparrini A, Crighton E et al., Spatiotemporal Variations in Ambient Ultrafine Particles and the Incidence of Childhood Asthma, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (United States, March 2019).

Ouedraogo A, Crighton E, Sawada M, To T, Brand K, Lavigne E, Exploration of the spatial patterns and determinants of asthma prevalence and health services use in Ontario using a Bayesian approach, PLoS ONE, Volume 13, Issue 12, 1-16 (December 2018)

Lavigne, Éric, Bélair, Marc-André, Duque, Daniel Rodriguez, Do, Minh T, Stieb, David M, Hystad, Perry, van Donkelaar, Aaron, Martin, Randall V, Crouse, Daniel L, Crighton, Eric, others, Effect modification of perinatal exposure to air pollution and childhood asthma incidence, European Respiratory Journal, 1701884 (European Respiratory Society, 2018)

To T, Zhu J, Carlsten C, Larsen K, Rychman K, Feldman L, Crighton E, et al. Do Community Demographics, Environmental Characteristics and Access to Care Affect the Risks of Developing COPD and Mortality in People with Asthma? European Respiratory Journal, 50: 1700644. 2017.

Lavigne E, Belair M, Stieb D, Hystad P, van Donkelaar A, Crouse D, Crighton EJ et al. Maternal exposure to ambient air pollution and risk of early childhood cancers: a population-based study in Ontario, Canada. Environment International. 2017 Mar:100:139-147

Laferriere K, Crighton EJ, “During pregnancy would have been a good time to get that information”: Mothers’ concerns and information needs regarding environmental health risks to their children, International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, Volume epub ahead of print, 1-10 (Taylor and Francis, September 2016)

Lavigne L, Gasparrini A, Stieb D, Chen H, Crighton EJ, To T, Weichenthal S, Walker M., Maternal exposure to aeroallergens and the risk of early delivery, Epidemiology, Volume 28, Issue 1, 107-115 (January 2017)

To T, Zhu J, Larsen K, Simatovic J, FeldmanL, Ryckman K, Gershon A, Lougheed D, Licskai C, Chen H, Villeneuve P, Crighton E, et al., Progression from Asthma to Asthma and COPD Overlap Syndrome (ACOS): Is Air Pollution a Risk Factor?, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Volume 194, Issue 4, 429-438 (2016)

Crighton EJ, Abelsohn A, Blake J, Enders J, Kilroy K, Lanphear B, Marshall L, Phipps E, Smith G., Beyond alcohol and tobacco smoke: are we doing enough to reduce fetal toxicant exposure? , Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Canada, Volume 38, Issue 1, 56-60 (January 2016)

Barwin L, Shawande M, Crighton EJ, Veronis L., Methods-in-place: “art voice” as a locally and culturally relevant method to study traditional medicine programs in Manitoulin Island, Ontario, International Journal of Qualitative Methods, Volume 14, Issue 5, 1-11 (December 2015)

Crighton EJ, Ragetli R, Luo J, To T, Gershon A., An Exploratory Spatial Analysis of COPD Prevalence, Incidence, Mortality and Health Service Use in Ontario, Canada, Health Reports, Volume 3, 10-18 (Canada, March 2015)

Cardwell FS, Elliott SL, Crighton EJ. Protecting Our Children: A Scan of Canadian and International Children's Environmental Health Best Practices, Children, Youth and Environments, Volume 3, 102-152 (December 2014)

Laferriere K, Crighton EJ, C, Baxter J, Masuda J, Lemyre L, Ursitti F., Examining inequities in children's environmental health: Results of a survey on the risk perceptions and protective actions of new mothers., Journal of Risk Research, 1-17 (October 2014)

Gershon AS, Khan S, Klein-Geltink J, To T, Crighton EJ, Pigeau L, Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) prevalence and health services use in Ontario Métis: a population-based cohort study, PLoS ONE, 18 (April 2014)

Masuda J., Zupancic T., Crighton E, Muhajarine N, Phipps E., Equity Focused Knowledge Translation: A framework for “reasonable action” on health inequities, International Journal of Public Health, Volume 3, 457-64 (September 2013)

Crighton EJ, Brown C, Baxter J, Masuda J, Lemyre L, Ursitti F, Perceptions and experiences of environmental health risks among new mothers: A qualitative study in Ontario, Canada, Health, Risk and Society, Volume 15, Issue 4, 295-312 (April 2013)

Barwin L., Shawande M., Crighton EJ, Veronis L., Teachings around self-care and medicine gathering in Manitoulin Island, Ontario: Rebuilding capacity begins with youth., Pimatisiwin: A Journal of Aboriginal and Indigenous Community Health, Volume 3, 323-344 (January 2014)

To T, Stanovojic S, Feldman R, Moineddin R, Guan J, Gershon A and the RESPONSE Team, Is Asthma a Vanishing Disease? A Study to Forecast the Burden of Asthma in 2022, BMC Public Health, Volume 13, Issue 254, 384-389 (January 2013)

Crighton EJ, Feng J, Gershon A, Guan J, To T, A spatial analysis of asthma prevalence in Ontario, Canadian Journal of Public Health, Volume 105, Issue 5, 384-389 (April 2012)

Crighton EJ. Barwin L, Small I., Upshur, REG, What have we learned? A review of the literature on children's health and the environment in the Aral Sea Area, International journal of Public Health, Volume 52, Issue 2, 125-138 (January 2011)

To T, Guttmann A, Lougheed MD, Gershon AS, Dell SD, Stanbrook MB, Wang C., McLimont S, Vasilevska-Ristovska J, Crighton EJ, Fisman DN, Evidence-based performance indicators of primary care for asthma: a modified RAND Appropriateness Method, International Journal for Quality in Health Care, Volume 22, Issue 6, 476-485 (January 2010)

Crighton EJ, Wilson K, Sénécal S, The relationship between geographic and socioeconomic factors and asthma amoung Canada's Aboriginal populations: an analysis of the 2001 Aboriginal People's Survey, International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Volume 69, Issue 2, 138-150 (January 2010)

Driedger M, Kothari A, Graham ID, Cooper E, Crighton EJ, Zahab M, Morrison J, Sawada M, If you build it, they still may not come: Outcomes and process of implementing a community-based integrated knowledge translation mapping innovation, Implementation Science, Volume 5, Issue 47, 35 (January 2010)

Crighton EJ, Elliott SJ, Moinnedin R, Kanaroglu P, Upshur R, Spatial-Temporal Analysis of Pneumonia and Influenza Hospitalizations in Ontario, Geospatial Health, Volume 2, Issue 2, 191-202 (January 2008)

Kothari A, Driedger M, Morrison J, Sawada M, Graham I, Crighton EJ, Mapping as a knowledge translation tool for Ontario early Years centres: views from data analysts and managers, Implementation Science, Volume 3, Issue 4, 9 (January 2008)

Driedger M, Kothari A, Morrison J, Sawada M, Crighton EJ, Graham ID, Using participatory design to develop (public) health decision support systems through GIS, International Journal of Health Geographics, Volume 6, Issue 53, 11 (January 2007)

Crighton EJ, Elliott SJ, Moinnedin R, Kanaroglu P, Upshur R, A spatial analysis of the determinants of pneumonia and influenza hospitalizations in Ontario (1992-2001), Social Science and Medecine, Volume 64, Issue 8, 1636-1650 (January 2007)

Warner E, Crighton EJ, Moinnedin R, Mamdani M, Upshur REG, A 14-year study of hospital admissions for diverticular disease in Ontario, Canada, Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology, Volume 21, Issue 2, 97-99 (January 2007)

Bordman R, Bovett M, Drummond N, Crighton EJ, Wheler D, Moinnedin R, White D, Typology of after-hours care instructions for patients: Telephone survey and multivariate analysis, Canadian Family Physician, Volume 53, Issue March, 450-456 (January 2007)

Crighton EJ, Elliott SJ, Moinnedin R, Kanaroglu P, Upshur R, An exploratory spatial analysis of pneumonia and influenza hopitalizations in Ontario by age and gender, Epidemiology and Infection, Volume 135, Issue 2, 253-261 (January 2007)

Upshur REG, Moinnedin R, Crighton EJ, Mamdani M, Interactions of Viral Pathogens on Hospital Admissions for Pneumonia, Croup and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Epidemiology and Infection, Volume 134, Issue 6, 1174-1178 (January 2006)

Upshur REG, Moinnedin R, Crighton EJ, Mamdani M, Seasonality of service provision in hip and knee surgery: Apossible contributor to waiting times? A time series analysis, BMC Health Services Research, Volume 6, Issue 22, 5 (January 2006)

Leong A, Crighton EJ, Moinnedin R, Mamdani M, Upshur R, A Time Series Analysis of Senile Cataract Hospitalization in Ontario, BMC Ophthamology, Volume 6, Issue 2, 5 (January 2006)

Crighton EJ, Creighton E, Drummond N, The evaluation of a social work program in a hospital-based family practice setting in Ontario, International Social Work, Volume 48, Issue 6, 725-731 (January 2005)

Crighton EJ, Bordman R, White D, Franssen e, Bovett M, Wheler D, Drummond N, On behalf of the North Toronto Primary Care Research network (Northen), After-hours care in Canada: Analysis of the 2001 National Family Physicians Workforce Survey, Canadian Family Physician, Volume 51, Issue November, 1504-1513 (January 2005)

Vrbova L, Crighton EJ, Mamdani M, Moinnedin R, Upshur R, Temporal Analysis of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Ontario, Canada, Canadian Journal of Cardiology, Volume 21, Issue 10, 841-845 (January 2005)

Segal A, Crighton EJ, Moinnedin R, Mamdani M, Upshur R, Croup Hospitalizations in Ontario: A 14-Year Time Series Analysis, Pediatrics, Volume 116, Issue 1, 51-55 (January 2005)

Bordman R, Wheler D, Drummond N, White D, Crighton EJ. On behalf of the North Toronto Primary Care Research network (Northen), Policies and guidelines for family physicians' and general practitioners' coverage after hours: a national survey, Canadian Family Physician, Volume 51, Issue April, 536-545 (January 2005)

Rosser W, Dovey S, Bordman R, White D, Crighton EJ, Drummond N, Medical Errors in Family Practice in Canada: Results from the LINNAEUS Collaboration Primary Care International, Canadian Family Physician, Volume 51, Issue March, 386-392 (January 2005)

Upshur R, Moinnedin R, Crighton EJ, keifer L, Mamdani M, Simplicity within Complexity: Predictability of Hospital Admissions in the Province of Ontario 1988 to 2001, A Population based Analysis, BMC: Health Services Research, Volume 5, Issue 13, 7 (January 2005)

Crighton EJ, Moinnedin M, Upshur, Mamdani M, Influenza and pneumonia hospitalizations: a population level time series analysis, Epidemiology and Infection, Volume 132, 1167-1174 (January 2004)

Upshur R., Moinnedin R, Crighton EJ, Mamdani M, Is there a clinically significant seasonal component to hospital admissions for atrial fibrillation?, BMC: Health Services Research, Volume 4, Issue 5, 7 (January 2004)

Nickell L, Crighton EJ, Tracy S, Al-Enazy H, Bolaji Y, Hanjrah S, Hussain A, Makhlouf S, Upshur R, Psychosocial effects of SARS on hospital staff: survey of a large tertiary care institution, Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), Volume 170, Issue 5, 793-798 (January 2004)

Moinnedin R, Upshur R, Crighton E, Mamdani M, Autoregression as a means of assessing the strengh of a seasonality in a time series, Population Health Metrics, Volume 1, Issue 10, 7 (January 2003)

Crighton EJ, Elliott SJ, van der Meer J, Small I, Upshur R, Impact of an Environmental Disaster on psychosocial health and well-being in Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan), Social Science and Medicine, Volume 56, Issue 3, 557-573 (Uzbekistan, January 2003)

Crighton EJ, Moinnedin R, Upshur REG, Mamdani M, The seasonality of the total hospitalizations in Ontario by age and gender: a time series analysis, Canadian Journal of Public Health, Volume 94, Issue 6, 453-457 (January 2003)

Crighton EJ, Upshur R, van der Meer J, Small I, Elliott S, The Aral Sea Disaster and Self-Rated Health, Journal of Health and Place, Volume 9, Issue 2, 73-82 (Uzbekistan, January 2003)

Crighton EJ, Upshur REG, Mamdani M, A population based time series analysis of Asthma hospitalizations in Ontario, Canada: 1988 to 2000, BMC Health Services Research, Volume 1, Issue 7, 6 (January 2001)

Crighton E, Gordon H*, Barakat-Haddad C. Chapter 6: Environmental health inequities: from global to local contexts. In Crooks VA, Andrews G, Pearce J. (eds) Routledge Handbook of Health Geography. Routledge University Press. 2018. pp.37-45.

Upshur R and Crighton EJ., Chapter 8: Environmental Health in the Aral Sea Area: Past Achievements, Future Prospects, Environmental Health in Central Asia, Page Range: pp.243-257, Wessex Institute of Technology Press
Wessex, January 2004
Editors: Fayzieva D

van der Meer J, Small I, Crighton EJ., Ford N., Chapter 9: Psychosocial health and well-being in the Aral Sea Area: Result from a survey in an area of slow environmental degradation, Toxic Turmoil: Psychological and Societal Consequences of Ecological Disasters, Page Range: pp.163-182, Kluwer Publishers
New York, NY, January 2003
Editors: Havenaar J, Cwikel J, Julie G, Bromet E.

First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC), Now is the time. Our data, our stories, our future: National Report of the First Nations Regional Early Childhood, Education and Employment Survey (FNREEES) (July 2016)
Canada, First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC)

Crighton EJ, Briere M, EduTOX Video Challenge: Final Project Report, Number of Pages: 27 (July 2016)
Health Canada (Canada - Ontario - Research)

Crighton EJ, Scoping of chemicals & environmental health outreach opportunities in prenatal health care, (2015-03-16)

Crighton EJ, Prenatal Environmental Health Education (PEHE) Forum: Final Report (2014-12-13)

Ragetlie R, Crighton EJ, Bonneau M, Feng J, Guan J, Luo J, To T, Gershon A., Spatial Analysis of COPD Health Outcomes and Health Service Use in Ontario, (2013-8-1)

Klein-Geltink J, Cascagnette P, Gershon A, To T, Crighton EJ, Gravelle M, Pigeau L, MacQuarrie J. et al., Chronic Respiratory Disease in the Métis Nation of Ontario, (2012-03-01)

Assembly of First Nations (Crighton EJ, co-author of chapter 1,14, and 30), First National Regional Longitudinal Health Survey (RHS) 2007/08: Results for adults, youth and children living in First Nations Communities, (2011-01-01)

Crighton EJ, Wilson K, Sénécal S, Report on the relationship between geographic and socioeconomic factors and asthma among Canada's Aboriginal populations, (2009-5-1)

Crighton EJ, An Assessment of Children's Health and Health Care Capacity in the Aral Sea Area: Final Report, (2008-04-01)

Tracey S, Small I, Crighton EJ, Kolb T, Upshur R (on behalf of the Aral Sea Health and Environment Consortium), Developing a Risk Communication Stategy for the MSF Aral Sea Area program, (2004-11-01)

Crighton EJ, Patient satisfaction at the Family Practice Unit at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, (2002-01-01)

Crighton EJ, Elliott SJ, van der Meer J, Yagodin V, Report on the Impacts of an Environmental Disaster on Psychosocial health and Well-being in Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan), (1999-01-01)

Funding: CIHR
Location: Canada

The goal of the PEHE Collaboration is to improve our understanding of factors that promote and inhibit the uptake of prenatal environmental health preventive care activities across diverse prenatal care, community, occupational and environmental contexts in Canada. This understanding will inform development of patient-centred environmental health education and other knowledge translation strategies suitable for clinical practice.

Funding: CIRNAC
Location: Nunavut - Igloolik, Hall Beach, Coral Harbour

Working with the Inuit communities of Igloolik, Hall Beach, and Coral Harbour, we seek to understand how freshwater supply and capacity will be influenced by continued population growth and climate change, and support improved water management. We highlight Inuit perspectives about water use and treatment, water-related health concerns, and potential alternative water sources.

Funding: EU Joint Programme on Neurodegenerative Research and CIHR
Location: Canada, Portugal, Germany, Czech Rep, Spain, France

This multidisciplinary, international project aims to address complex care in Parkinson disease through the development of an integrated community-centered care delivery model. As the lead of the health geography component of this project, Dr. Crighton is examining patterns of Parkinson Disease prevalence, healthcare utilization, and factors that influence healthcare utilization. Methods include the spatial analysis of administrative health data, and national surveys of Parkinson Disease patients in partner countries.