Vol. 1 No. 2 (2022): University of Waterloo Journal of Undergraduate Health Research

Dear reader,

We are pleased to bring you the second issue of the University of Waterloo (UW) Journal of Undergraduate Health Research (JUHR)!

In this past term, we were fortunate enough to introduce some normalcy into our lives again since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many students returned to in-person learning and workplaces began bringing employees back into the office. While we are all grateful to have returned in-person, there has been no shortage of challenges accompanying these transitions. We hope that you all continue to be resilient through these everchanging times and look to your communities to offer you support.

Community and the potential it has to bring people together is one of the most overlooked qualities of health research. Within the JUHR team, we are grateful to have a community of hardworking students committed to fostering opportunities for growth and development in student-led health research. This issue would not have been possible without the team supporting JUHR. The Editorial Team, led by Senior Editors Megan Dol and Takuya Shibayama, were diligent in their review of each piece that has been chosen for this issue’s publication. Thanks to the leadership of the Creative Director, Kimberly D’Mello, the issue reflects the artistic and innovative visions of our talented Creative Team.

In this issue, we explore a wide range of relevant topics at the biomedical, clinical, and social intersections of health. From a biomedical perspective, Ladees Al Hafi walks us through the relationship between neurodegenerative disease and factors affecting oxidative stress in zebrafish, while Sarah Ismail compares different treatment options for anxiety in patients with Parkinson's disease. In two publications, Simrit Dhillon advocates for the need for improved nutritional education among individuals living with Down syndrome and raises awareness surrounding mental health assessment avoidance in South Asian communities.

Lastly, Jalisa Lynn Karim discusses the stigma surrounding infertility and calls for changed attitudes toward people without children, while Fatima Abbas explores the issues surrounding food insecurities in Canada and calls for action to solve these disparities. Upon reading this issue, you will discover that advocacy is a key theme explored by the featured authors. We hope that as you continue your studies in health research, you will consider ways in which you can advocate for improved health outcomes within the community.

Thank you to the amazing UW Open Journal Systems team led by Jordan Hale and our faculty of Health Senior Advisors, Drs. Diane Williams, Ellen MacEachen, and Craig Janes, for their endless support.

Happy reading!

Tara Behroozian and Shayanne Thomas

CO-FOUNDERS AND EDITORS-IN-CHIEF