We were thrilled to host the Second Annual EpiBio Research Day on April 9th in PHFM 1150, where students from our Department showcased their exceptional research. The event, open to both undergraduate and graduate students, featured insightful presentations and discussions.
We're pleased to announce that Dr. Ava John-Baptiste delivered a captivating keynote address, shedding light on economic evaluation to inform Indigenous health policy. Her expertise in health economics and health services research provided valuable insights into this critical area.
Additionally, we were honored to have Dr. Saverio Stranges deliver the Opening Remarks, setting the stage for a day filled with intellectual exchange and collaboration.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who participated and contributed to the success of this event. Congratulations to the winners of the Judges' and Participants' Awards in the undergraduate, MSc, and PhD categories.
Thank you to everyone who attended and made the Second Annual EpiBio Research Day a memorable experience. We look forward to continuing these enriching discussions in the future.
Keynote Address
Dr. Ava John-Baptiste, PhD
Dr. Ava John-Baptiste is an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, where she also serves as Graduate Chair. She is cross appointed to the Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Medicine and teaches in the Schulich Interfaculty Program in Public Health. Dr. John-Baptiste applies her expertise in health economics and health services research to inform health policy decisions. She uses a range of methods including evidence synthesis, cost analysis, economic evaluation, modelling, and the linkage of administrative and clinical databases.
Economic evaluation to inform Indigenous health policy
Indigenous people and communities have been working to reclaim Indigenous birth and invest in Indigenous midwifery programs. Persons giving birth who live in First Nations and Inuit communities are required to travel to urban centres at 36-38 weeks gestation to give birth away from home. When seeking to improve perinatal health supports and services, the question posed by Canadian health policy decision makers is, “What is the cost for obstetric evacuation or travel for birth compared to community-based Indigenous-led care?”. Economic evaluation provides a framework for comparing health care options to aid in policy decision making. Mi'kmaq Elders Albert and Murdena Marshall teach the concept of Two-Eyed Seeing, in which we recognize the strengths of Indigenous ways of seeing in addition to the strengths of Western ways. During the keynote address, I will share what our research team has learned while attempting to estimate the costs of obstetric evacuation. A weaving of Indigenous and Western perspectives can help us identify the strengths of economic evaluation and highlight areas for improvement, as we seek to apply this framework to inform Indigenous health policies.
Oral Presentation List
Poster Presentation List
2024 EpiBio Research Day Awards
We commend all presenters for their diligent research efforts and outstanding presentations, and extend our congratulations to the recipients of the following awards:
BEST ORAL PRESENTATION
2024 Awardee: Jason Hallarn (PhD candidate)
Poster title: HIV testing among trangender and nonbinary individuals in Canada
Participant’s Choice Poster Award
2024 Awardees: Deepmala Rana Bhat (PhD candidate), Diya Patel (MSc candidate), and Anusha Nair (MSc candidate)
Poster title: Sex Difference in the Association between Sleep and Perceived Stress at Work among Adults in Canada
MPH Poster Award
2024 Awardees: Shaliny Ollegasagrem, Husain Akbar, Xuelan Yang, Netri Kalra, Hannah Shulist
Poster title: The Support Groups for Low-Income Womem Experiencing Postpartum Depression
Undergraduate Poster Award
2024 Awardee: Camryn Kabir-Bahk
Poster title: The Association Between Diabetes Control, Social Class, and Cognitive Function: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)
MSc Poster Award
2024 Awardee: Marie Lan
Poster title: Systematic Review of Economic Studies Evaluating the Impact of Hypertension Prevention and Modification on Dementia Burden
PhD Poster Award
2024 Awardee: Yhesaem Park
Poster title: Cost-Effectiveness of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV in US Prison Settings
Recognizing the hard work and excellent presentations of all participants, especially noteworthy as it's our first EpiBio Research Day, we congratulate the recipients of the following awards:
