A York University postdoctoral fellow is leading groundbreaking research that combines epidemiology, data science and community partnership to better understand neurological and mental health risks among people experiencing homelessness in Canada.
Working in the School of Health Policy and Management in the Faculty of Health, Frederic Fu’s work examines how structural conditions, such as housing instability, service gaps and cumulative stress shape health outcomes.
A Connected Minds postdoctoral fellow and course director supervised by Associate Professor Vijay Mago, Fu collaborates with municipal, Indigenous and community partners, including the Lakehead Social Planning Council, Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre and Covenant House Toronto. His mixed-methods approach integrates administrative data with community co-design to support service improvements, capacity building and policy discussions with partner organizations.
“People experiencing homelessness live with overlapping risks that affect their brains and mental health over time, not just short-term crises,” says Fu. “We are trying to work with communities to identify those risks more clearly and then make sure the findings are useful for front-line workers and decision makers – not just academic journals."
A recent milestone is Fu’s paper in PLOS ONE which finds that people experiencing homelessness have a 51 per cent higher risk of neurodegenerative disorders compared with housed populations. Risks include multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and cognitive impairment.
Country-specific differences in services and supports suggest that living environment, nutrition, health care access and psychosocial stress all play a role. The research documents a higher risk also in the U.S., Canada, Europe and the Middle East, and calls for targeted interventions that address both clinical and social determinants of health for people experiencing homelessness.
“Dr. Fu’s work illustrates York University’s commitment to data-informed solutions that promote health and social equity,” says Mago. “By combining rigorous quantitative methods with genuine partnership, he is helping service providers and policymakers see where risks are highest and where interventions can have the greatest impact.”
Beyond the global evidence, Fu is working with partners in Thunder Bay to analyze local data through Homeless Individuals and Families Information System and the Thunder Bay’s 2024 Point-in-Time Count. These efforts aim to produce actionable insights, strengthen trust in data and inform service planning.
Fu’s broader research program integrates four interconnected studies: a global meta-analysis on neurodegenerative disorders among people experiencing homelessness; a Canadian data-driven study of neurological and mental health risk factors; an analysis of community-led homelessness enumeration in Thunder Bay; and a qualitative study of lived experiences in encampments. Together, these projects aim to inform targeted interventions and shape policy solutions that promote health equity.
Fu’s knowledge mobilization work – supported by a Connected Minds Knowledge Mobilization Fund award – prioritizes strong partnerships built on trust, reciprocity, shared roles and responsible data practices. He also stresses practical considerations – such as budgeting for partner time, planning for turnover and defining impact – to ensure research delivers tangible benefits for communities.
“These details can seem small, but they are often what make a project workable,” he says. “Community partners are already doing a great deal with limited resources. If research asks for their time and data, we have a responsibility to strive to offer something concrete in return.”
Next steps include expanding analysis to other regions of Canada, continuing encampment research, as well as building stronger links between data, training and policy dialogue. By bringing quantitative evidence into conversation with lived experience, Fu hopes to support more equitable responses to homelessness and help protect brain and mental health among those most at risk.