Seminar Series: Nibene Somé, PhD
Exploring mental health and substance use in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nibene Habib Somé, PhD
Independent Scientist/Health Economist
Institute for Mental Health Policy Research
Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry
Western University
Adjunct Lecturer
Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation
Dalla Lana School of Public Health
University of Toronto
Abstract/Keywords:
COVID-19, mental health, alcohol, cannabis, general population and, transgender and gender-diverse
Short Biography:
Dr. Nibene H. Somé is an Independent Scientist and Health Economist with the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research at CAMH. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Western University and an Adjunct Lecturer in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Somé applies economic and statistical/econometric methods to evaluate healthcare policies designed to affect the supply of healthcare services and improve patients’ outcomes. His research uses large administrative datasets to assess how healthcare financing systems, financial incentives from physician compensation models, and policies influence the production of health (including mental health) services, costs, and health outcomes. He also uses surveys data to examine the association between mental health indicators and alcohol and cannabis use during the COVID-19 pandemic.
His current research is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health (MOH) with the aims of 1) developing statistical and machine learning models to identify risk factors for COVID-19 and its outcomes (including hospitalization and mortality) in people with mental health and substance use/addiction problems, 2) estimating healthcare costs and utilization for people at high risk of contracting COVID-19, and, 3) evaluating potential inequalities in access to COVID-19 testing.
