Research stories

Dr. David Hammond, a professor in the School of Public Health Sciences, has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC), one of the country’s highest academic honours. His research has helped shape policies on tobacco and vaping, cannabis legalization and nutrition policies, making him one of Canada’s leading voices in public health policy and population health.

Dr. David Hammond of Waterloo’s School of Public Health Sciences is one of 10 research team leads across the country named to a major new initiative called the Canadian Cannabis and Brain Health Consortium.

University of Waterloo public health researcher Dr. Shannon Majowicz contributed research to the new WHO estimates, which cover the global burden of foodborne disease between 2000 and 2021. 

Dr. Sharon Kirkpatrick (Public Health Sciences) is a co-principal investigator on a new $2 million team grant that will study how ultra-processed foods may affect colorectal cancer risk. 

Dr. David Hammond, a researcher in the School of Public Health Sciences, received more than $3.5 million from the latest CIHR Project Grant program for his project on national-level food policies.

Research highlights omega-3 benefits of waterfowl and fish while confirming mercury intake in northern Indigenous communities.

Dr. Sharon Kirkpatrick of the School of Public Health Sciences has been named one of the world's most highly cited researchers in the field.

University of Waterloo researchers find that residents’ poor sleep can trigger problematic medication use, falls and delirium.

Waterloo study shows routine blood samples may give doctors early insights into injury severity and patient survival after spinal cord damage.

New research shows long-term stress levels, measured through hair samples, may provide important clues about mental health risks in children with chronic physical illnesses. 

Faculty of Health study aims to improve the quality of life for people living with dementia in ethno-racial communities

David Hammond and Geoffrey Fong (cross-appointed) of the School of Public Health Sciences awarded $3.6M for national surveys on tobacco and nicotine use.

Researchers use thermostat data and AI to identify households most at risk.

Irfhana Zakir Hussain has been awarded a prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship for her work on predicting and preventing extreme heat crises. 

Researchers find earlier diagnosis and better care may lead to lower risk of death than in previous years, following dementia diagnosis.

Research challenges link between loneliness and mortality for older adults receiving home care.

Research by Drs. Geoff Bardwell and Zahid Butt affect local and international communities

University of Waterloo working with Southern Chiefs’ Organization and Manitoba Association of Optometrists to co-develop data governance policies for eye data

Study finds sixty-eight per cent of nursing home residents who used antipsychotics had more behavioural issues than they did pre-medication

Health researchers find 55 per cent of teens feel dissatisfied with their appearance with social media as a major factor.

Dr. Kate Battista, a post-doctoral scholar in the School of Public Health Sciences, shares findings from a COMPASS research study on adolescent groups most likely to participate in smoking and vaping.

Dr. Mark Ferro’s ongoing study supports mental health in children and youth living with physical illnesses across the life span

Waterloo researchers say the incorporation of smartphones could be the key to improving the accessibility of self-service devices.

Dr. David Hammond has been awarded $2 million from the CIHR, leading a new study to examine the health risks of e-cigarettes among young people in Canada.

A UWaterloo study finds that loneliness increases the risk of age-related memory loss and highlights the need for community programs for older adults.

School of Public Health Sciences PhD candidate Amy Nahwegahbow has been awarded the prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship for her research in First Nations Peoples communities to address the environmental exposures, socio-cultural vulnerability and health impacts of industrial pollution.

A School of Public Health Sciences research team will receive more than $1.5 million from the federal government to support their Urban Futures project: Toward health equity, inclusive governance, and climate adaptation in African informal settlements.

Dr. Mark Ferro has received the Addressing Mental Health in Paediatric Rheumatic Diseases Team Grants award, a research funding initiative offered by Brain Canada and Cassie + Friends.

Dr. Zahid Butt has been named Canada Research Chair in Interdisciplinary Research for Pandemic Preparedness.

Dr. Rhona Hanning, a professor emeritus in the School of Public Health Sciences, is one of four to be named a 2024 Canadian Nutrition Society (CNS) Fellow.

Dr. Carrie McAiney leads the Forward with Dementia project to address stigma within diverse cultural and linguistic groups.

Dr. John Hirdes, a professor in the School of Public Health Sciences, has been appointed a member of the Order of Canada among 78 new appointments nationally.

Trust in Government Measure helps gauge trust in government and also aims to help inform better public health policies

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.

Dr. David Hammond has received the 2023 Trailblazer Award in Science for Policy by the Canadian Science Policy Centre.

Clarivate global analytics rank Sharon Kirkpatrick and Geoffrey Fong of SPHS among the top one per cent highly cited researchers in the world.

An expert committee on viruses in foods conducted a global review of the frequency and clinical severity of viruses associated with foodborne illnesses.

Waterloo's Dr. Mahmood Gohari, using survey data from over 5,000 Canadian adolescents, examines changes in mental health from 2018 to 2021.

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.

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.

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.  

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) has funded 23 research projects through an action-based initiative called Women RISE, whose projects aim to better understand the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on women’s health and livelihoods. 

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. 

Oluwakemi (Kemi) Amodu is dedicated to advancing the reproductive and sexual health of the Hausa women in displaced persons camps in northern Nigeria. 

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.

The federal government has announced $2.1 million in funding over three years for a search-and-rescue project led by Lili Liu, Waterloo public health researcher and Dean of the Faculty of Health.

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. 

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.