Travis Salway

Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University

tsalway@sfu.ca

 

 

Areas of expertise

Social epidemiology, sexual and gender minority (2SLGBTQ) populations, sexual health, mental health, suicide

Education

  • B.A. in Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley
  • M.Sc. in Epidemiology, McGill University
  • Ph.D. in Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

Biography

Travis Salway, Associate Professor of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, is a social epidemiologist who works to understand and improve the health of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (2S/LGBTQ) populations. In 2019-2020, he testified for two standing committees of the Canadian House of Commons, to inform federal policy to promote 2S/LGBTQ health equity. This resulted in the passage of Bill C-4, making it a crime to perpetrate anti-2S/LGBTQ practices, otherwise known as “conversion therapy.” Travis directs the REAFFIRM Collaborative, an interdisciplinary team studying effects of 2S/LGBTQ identity (in)validation. He founded MindMapBC, a 2S/LGBTQ-affirming mental health service finder.

Research interests

Dr. Salway maintains three active areas of research related to stigma and health.

1) Population health inequities in the context of social stigma: Dr. Salway uses a broad range of approaches (including epidemiology, qualitative research, and mixed methods) to understand how and why some socially-defined populations (e.g., sexual minority people) experience multiple, co-occurring and avoidable health disparities. Much of this research focuses on mental (e.g., suicide, anxiety) and sexual health outcomes.

2) Social epidemiologic methods in the context of stigma: In addition to causing ill health, social stigma challenges the ways in which we accurately sample and measure stigmatized populations. Thus, Dr. Salway investigates how to characterize and correct for selection and information biases in socially relevant health research.

3) Tailored and equity-informed public health service: One consequence of stigma and stress processes is that socially stigmatized individuals may avoid, delay, or conceal information during healthcare encounters and thereby miss opportunities for early/preventive mental healthcare. Dr. Salway therefore works with public health and community partners to describe how public health settings (e.g., sexual health clinics) can address unmet healthcare needs of sexual minority clients. This research additionally explores the co-occurrence and interaction of sexual and mental health among sexual health service clients.

Teaching

  • Epidemiology
  • Social epidemiology
  • Mixed methods
  • Social determinants of health

Publications

View Dr. Salway’s publications at PubMed.

Stéphanie Black

Stéphanie Black

I’m a Research Specialist, working on the qualitative branch of the team! My focus is on comprehensive sex education and how it does or does not affirm 2S/LGBTQ+ identities. I primarily work on The Sex Education Study and the UnACoRN study. I am a qualitative researcher [i.e., ask me about words and people, not math please 🙂 ]. I have a Communication background and worked in TV and Radio for ten years before becoming part of the research world! My master’s research focused on the benefits of using peer sex educators to teach CSE in schools. In my spare time, I like to bake, spend time with my family doing kid-friendly activities, go to the beach, swim, and, of course, watch trash TV.

Sarah Watt

Sarah Watt

As a Research Coordinator with the REAFFIRM collaborative, Sarah helps to coordinate the team’s work and projects. She has been involved with several past and ongoing projects, including MindMapBC, The UnACoRN Study, The Two-Spirit Dry Lab, The Sex Education Study, and Rainbow Canada. Prior to studying/working in health-related fields, Sarah was involved with organizations supporting survivors of physical and sexual violence. This work led her to sexual health education and advocacy, health equity research, and the REAFFIRM Team! Sarah completed a Masters in Public Health at SFU and trained as a sexual health educator. In addition to her role with REAFFIRM, Sarah teaches sex education in elementary schools in Vancouver. In her free time, Sarah likes to read, travel, cycle, and do pottery.

Andrés Delgado-Ron

Andrés is an experienced data analyst with a background in public health and epidemiology. He holds a Master of Science from the University of British Columbia and a medical degree from Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial, Ecuador. He has been actively involved in public health research since 2017. His work primarily focuses on epidemiological data analysis utilizing R programming. When he is not parenting his daughter, you can find it playing online chess.

Samantha Yu (she/her)

I am an undergrad student (Honour/Directed research) with the team. I work on an Honours project at Simon Fraser University, supervised by Dr. Travis Salway, where we conduct descriptive analyses on transgender teens using the UnACoRN Survey. I am currently pursuing a BSc in Health Sciences and a minor in Molecular Biochemistry at SFU. My experience includes working in wet lab settings and applying biostatistics and epidemiology, both of which I find essential for effective communication in public health interventions. Over the past two years, I have had the valuable opportunity to work with Reaffirm Collaboratives, focusing on SGM immigrants, transgender teens, public politics, and mental health in an exploratory approach. I am “secretly” a contemporary pole dancer and tattoo artist. I enjoy spinning like a fairy and drawing cute tattoos for my clients whenever time allows.

Milo Ira (They/Them)

Milo is a PhD student on the team who does a bunch of research, knowledge mobilization, a little facilitation, and a sprinkle of design! Milo primarily works on MindMapBC and the UnACoRN Study. Milo is a PhD student in social epidemiology, dedicated to researching the health and well-being of the 2s/LGBTQ neurodivergent community. As an autistic, Métis, and Two-Spirit scholar, they are passionately decolonizing our understanding of neurodiversity, blending cultural wisdom with academic rigor to create a brighter, more inclusive future. In Milo’s free time, they like to have tea parties with their kids and cats, bang on the tambourine, and look at bugs.

Marina Khonina (they/them)

My PhD project, supervised by Dr. Travis Salway, focuses on the experiences of trans and gender-expansive (TGE) athletes and coaches in Canada. The aim of my research is to improve TGE participation, safety, and affirmation in sports. I’m a track and field athlete and coach. I also work as a language consultant, specializing in sensitivity editing and translations that are inclusive of 2S/LGBTQ+ communities and other minoritized groups.

Stuart Tait (He/Him/His)

As a new member, I am actively engaging with the Lab and meeting with team members bi-weekly to immerse myself in the research and initiatives of the REAFFIRM Collaborative. A personal goal of mine is one that aligns well with the team: I aspire to advance research and improve health outcomes in queer mental health. I look forward to understanding the root causes of mental health disparities within queer communities and exploring innovative approaches to address these issues through research and advocacy.

Currently, I am enrolled in the latter half of a BSc program in Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, focusing on public health and data. My academic interests encompass the social determinants of health, healthcare systems and funding, health insurance matters, and epidemiology. I am particularly passionate about bridging the gap in mental and sexual health outcomes between the queer community and the general populace. My research interests align with this passion, and I look forward to delving deeper into queer mental health disparities through the REAFFIRM Collaborative. I work part-time as a medical office assistant, where I engage with patients facing a wide range of health issues. My responsibilities include coordinating their care by connecting them with appropriate chiropractic, physiotherapy, and kinesiology services. Additionally, I manage all types of insurance matters, from ICBC, WorkSafe BC, MSP, and various private insurance plans. I also volunteer with the Health Initiative for Men clinic in downtown Vancouver. This summer, I am dedicated to advocating for sexual health through proactive outreach and community engagement. My volunteer work involves collaborating with diverse community members and nurses from Vancouver Coastal Health to promote awareness and access to sexual health resources, emphasizing the importance of preventive care and education.

In my spare time, I enjoy trying new foods throughout the Lower Mainland, taking scenic walks around Shoreline Trail in Port Moody or Belcarra, and watching Vancouver’s famous sunsets at Jericho or Kitsilano beach. I’m also an avid plant person, with so many indoor plants that I’m convinced they’re plotting to take over my home. Additionally, I like to play guitar and listen to folk music, and occasionally, I can’t help but binge-watch a Netflix show.