Inspiring Canadians to re-imagine their neighbourhoods
Kinesiology's Dr. Troy Glover has co-created a tactical guide called Activate Your Neighbourhood that aligns with Canada's physical activity strategy.
Older adolescents with physical and mental illnesses have lowest self-perceptions
Researchers find adolescents’ self-concept – the image we have of ourselves – is lower for those with both a physical and mental illness compared to adolescents with only a physical illness.
Public health researcher receives Trailblazer Award in Science for Policy
Dr. David Hammond has received the 2023 Trailblazer Award in Science for Policy by the Canadian Science Policy Centre.
Dr. Kaylena Ehgoetz Martens awarded Michael J. Fox Foundation grant
Dr. Kaylena Ehgoetz Martens receives a portion of $1.35 million USD for research in Parkinson’s freezing of gait symptom.
Q and A with the experts: Examining high school student mental health post-pandemic
Waterloo's Dr. Mahmood Gohari, using survey data from over 5,000 Canadian adolescents, examines changes in mental health from 2018 to 2021.
Osteoarthritis researcher receives Canada Foundation for Innovation grant
Kinesiology professor Nikolas Knowles receives a Canada Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Leaders Fund for his project to help slow or prevent joint deterioration from osteoarthritis.
Search engines and social media can forecast disease outbreaks
Internet search engine queries and social media data can be early warning signals, creating a real-time surveillance system for disease forecasting, says a recent University of Waterloo study.
Antipsychotic drug use increased in Canadian long-term care homes in first year of pandemic
While most aspects of care quality in long-term care homes did not differ in the first year of the pandemic from pre-pandemic levels, a new study shows that the use of antipsychotic drugs increased in all provinces.
Helping to reduce drug overdoses
Layered over the pandemic in 2021 was an epidemic. Toxic drug overdoses in Canada spiked that year, with almost 8,000 reported deaths from opioid overdoses alone. In British Columbia, 2,264 people died that year of toxic drug overdoses.
Researchers explore why some people get motion sick playing VR games while others don’t
A new study, led by researchers at the University of Waterloo, found that the subjective visual vertical – a measure of how individuals perceive the orientation of vertical lines – shifted considerably after participants played a high-intensity VR game.
Students who played sports before the pandemic did better during lockdowns
Researchers at the University of Waterloo found that participation in activities such as fitness classes and intramural and drop-in sports before the pandemic was linked to lower levels of stress and higher levels of perceived competence to handle challenges and master school workload during the lockdown.
How new multi-sport facilities can be used after major events
Researchers found that factors such as the location and design of the facility, the formal agreements between operating groups and the breadth of sport and recreation programming offered at the facility all contributed to promoting a legacy of participation post-event.
Long COVID linked to lower brain oxygen levels, cognitive problems and psychiatric symptoms
Long COVID is associated with reduced brain oxygen levels, worse performance on cognitive tests and increased psychiatric symptoms such as depression and anxiety, according to new research studying the impacts of the disease.
New partnership allows medtech startups to train surgeons
A University of Waterloo teaching lab is helping the medtech community in southwestern Ontario make great strides in their medical research. The Faculty of Health’s Human Anatomy Laboratory, which is housed in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, offers the perfect location for surgeons to test procedures on cadaver donors.
New method for public health analysis shows trends in substance use among high schoolers
High-school students who have a large weekly allowance, friends who smoke and low levels of physical activity are more likely to use multiple substances over time. Conversely, being older, being black and eating breakfast daily were factors associated with a smaller chance of transitioning to multiple use.
Postdoc advances research and lands professorship, thanks to inaugural AMTD fellowship
Oluwakemi (Kemi) Amodu is dedicated to advancing the reproductive and sexual health of the Hausa women in displaced persons camps in northern Nigeria. After devoting her doctoral research to revealing the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among this population, she has now built on that research as an inaugural recipient of the AMTD Waterloo Global Talent Postdoctoral Fellowship.
Improving workplace injury compensation requires input from vulnerable workers
Understanding the ways in which workers in precarious employment react to work injury and claims processes they see as unfair can help employers, legal representatives, physicians and others respond appropriately, according to a new study.
Canada lags behind other countries in providing school food programs to children in need
A University of Waterloo-led international study of more than 10,000 children in six different countries found that approximately half of all students received breakfast or lunch at school in countries such as the United States or Chile. However, only five per cent of students in Canada participated in a school meal program.
Researchers use survey data to uncover pandemic mental health insights
A deep dive into mental health survey data by researchers at the University of Waterloo shows that almost a quarter of Canadians are still reporting anxiety and suggests that the mental health impact of the pandemic might still be observed for a few years to come.
New approach to advance care planning preferred by Canadian long-term care residents
Researchers have developed a better way to support end-of-life planning in long-term care homes, according to a recent study.
Higher education and language skills may help reverse mild cognitive impairment
New research has found that people with mild cognitive impairment may not inevitably develop dementia and, in fact, having higher education and advanced language skills more than doubles their chances of returning to normal.
Making global connections to take on climate change
The University of Waterloo is finishing their participation in an exciting new collaborative program, Climate Connect, which involved 60+ students and over 20 researchers from across the world to gather and discuss climate change.
University of Waterloo led research improves equal access to community supports
The DREAM project equips wellness advocates with training and resources to provide inclusive services for people living with dementia
Aerobic fitness of elite soccer players linked to player positions
Researchers have linked the fitness of elite soccer players to the positions they play. The ability to make this assessment can help coaches regulate individual training loads based on player position.
CBD might help prime cells against COVID
Synthetic cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive compound also found in the cannabis plant, appears to prime the innate immune system of cells, potentially offering protection against pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2.
Wearable biosensors can help people with complex health conditions
Remote monitoring of health-related behaviour with wearable sensor technology is feasible for people with complex health conditions, shows a recent University of Waterloo study.
Researchers awarded $10 million U.S. for global tobacco study
The University of Waterloo is one of the lead institutions in a five-year, $10 million (U.S.) international study funded by the United States’ National Cancer Institute. The multi-centre study will evaluate the behavioural and long-term health impact of different regulatory approaches to e-cigarettes and other new nicotine products among youth and adults in seven countries.
Improving perceptions of emerging technologies can help ease strain on health-care systems
More attention must be paid to improving perceptions of emerging technologies like AI-powered symptom checkers, which could ease the strain on health-care systems, according to a recent study.
Researchers launch new tools to help people with dementia find their way forward
Often, when a person is diagnosed with dementia, available supports are not enough. Most people feel overwhelmed, and they don't get the support, resources and help they need. A new five-country collaboration has developed Forward with Dementia to fill in those gaps and provide the individuals and their families the tools they need to move forward with their lives.
Study finds excess use of non-emergency restraint among older psychiatric patients
Restrictive interventions like acute control medications and restraints are more likely to be used in non-emergency situations among older psychiatric inpatients than younger ones, a study shows.
Fish consumption still safe despite initial fears over mercury levels
The benefits of consuming traditional foods tend to outweigh the risks of possible mercury contamination, according to a recent study.
New tools and resources available for persons living with dementia
Many things change when a person is diagnosed with dementia, but one thing that doesn’t have to is the ability to exercise.
Packaging and health warnings are key in discouraging youth from using cannabis
As more countries consider legalizing non-medical cannabis, new research shows that prominent health warnings and less attractive packaging can reduce its appeal among young people.
Jack P. Callaghan elected Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
Jack P. Callaghan, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, has been elected as a 2021 Fellow in the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS). The Academy brings together and recognizes top-ranked health and biomedical scientists and scholars across Canada to create positive change on the urgent health concerns of Canadians.
Understanding frailty will lead to better care for older adults
A team led by researchers from the University of Waterloo analyzed data from more than 24,000 community-dwelling older adults receiving home care in Ontario who were subsequently admitted into an intensive-care unit (ICU).
Q and A with the experts: Cancer and exercise during a pandemic
What options do cancer survivors have during a pandemic when there are limited in-person training options and reduced access to exercise facilities? With National Cancer Survivors Day on June 6, Marina Mourtzakis, a Kinesiology professor who leads Waterloo’s Centre for Community, Clinical and Applied Research Excellence, examines how to exercise safely as a cancer survivor during or after treatment.
How international students make decisions about staying in Canada
A new study finds the majority of students were not certain on future plans until they had a chance to live here and explore life in Canada.
Strengthening actions to end tobacco use
Waterloo’s ITC Project honoured with 2021 Governor General’s Innovation Award
Long-term care infrastructure must be re-imagined in a post-pandemic world
Protecting long-term care residents from outbreaks requires different infrastructure, proper staffing conditions and a culture of quality assurance, researchers have found.
The experts further determined that designing smaller, more homelike spaces would minimize the spread of viruses while promoting better health and quality of life for residents.
Online farmers’ markets valuable when crisis events like COVID occur, study finds
New research from the University of Waterloo is shining light on the importance of farmers markets’ ability to mitigate potential disruptions to distribution networks in the face of system shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Waterloo researchers lead remote wearable technology program
Persons with neurodegenerative diseases can monitor at home
AI-powered symptom checkers can help health-care systems deal with COVID-19 burden
AI-powered symptom checkers can potentially reduce the number of people going to in-person clinics during the pandemic, but first, researchers say, people need to know they exist.
Q and A with the experts: Long-term care after a year of COVID-19
We asked Professor Paul Stolee, director of the Network for Aging Research, about issues associated with long-term care during the pandemic.
Social media helped spread misinformation during pandemic
Social media use during the early days of the pandemic increased the amount of misinformation about the virus, but also helped spread that misinformation far and wide.
New study shows mental health effects of pandemic affected young people most
The impact was most pronounced for younger Canadians, who reported feeling lonely, depressed or anxious.
Pandemic highlights importance of supports for people with dementia
A new healthy living program and a virtual reality exercise game will support people living with dementia at home and in long-term care.
When you’re a gig worker during a global pandemic and your boss is an app
Gig work is transforming our global economy and public health as workers weigh risks every day in precarious, low-wage jobs to deliver us food and parcels.
Long-term care homes must balance risks and benefits to mental health during lockdowns
Long-term care residents, isolated because of the COVID-19 pandemic, are at increased risk for negative mental health outcomes. New research shows those outcomes can be measured and mitigated with thoughtful interventions informed by data.