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Congratulations to the College of Pharmacy’s Dr. Andrea Murphy. Dr. Murphy and her team, co-lead Dr. David Gardner (Psychiatry) and co-investigators Drs. Ruth Martin-Misener (Nursing) and Stan Kutcher (Psychiatry) have received $150,000 over two years from Movember’s Canadian Men’s Health and Wellbeing Innovation Challenge.

Their research project, Headstrong: taking things head on with your Man’s Toolbox, will capitalize on what community pharmacies have to offer men in their communities: a front store regularly frequented by men, and the women in their lives, for health, lifestyle, and other reasons, and the pharmacists who are knowledgeable in health promotion, maintenance, and wellness.

Using promotional signage and advertising strategically located throughout the pharmacy, men (and women) will be encouraged to visit with their pharmacists to get more information and access to the Headstrong men’s mental health resources. 

The funds will be used to develop tools and resources for pharmacists and men alike for their “toolbox” and focus on tobacco and alcohol, depression and anxiety, sleep problems, and suicidal thinking.

Many Nova Scotia pharmacists have been bolstering their efforts in mental health care not only in medication and condition-relation education but also in recognition of symptoms and providing support through triage, health system navigation, and advocacy. These funds will help to further support their efforts in helping men with their mental health and wellbeing in Nova Scotia communities.

The project funding will commence June 2015 and Headstrong will be piloted in selected pharmacies with a plan to scale-up pending evaluation results.