2018 Junior Researcher Award Winners

Joseph Donia is a Master’s student specializing in health policy at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on understanding some of the core assumptions that underpin patient and public involvement in health care improvement and innovation, with an aim to advancing practice that is more inclusive and responsible. In particular, he hopes his project “Patient and public involvement in health care improvement projects involving design” will help health care providers and policy makers to arrive at more inspired and creative approaches to quality, integrated care by being better able to act on the collective needs of clients, families, and caregivers.

Research Priority Area – Clinical and Health Services Excellence 

@JosephDonia Project tweet: This knowledge synthesis will examine assumptions and practices underpinning patient and public involvement in health care improvement. A resultant evaluative framework will offer health care actors a tool for deploying ethical and inclusive involvement methods for innovation.

Husayn Marani is in his second year of doctoral studies at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto where he is studying Health Services Research with an emphasis on Health Policy. His research interests include social care, social health protection, and caregiver welfare. His dissertation explores the costs of caring incurred by family caregivers of community-dwelling persons living with dementia in Canada. His favorite things are yoga, sushi and reality television with dreams of becoming a contestant on Survivor.

Research Priority Area – Cognitive Impairment

@husmarani Project tweet: Understanding the costs of caring incurred by family caregivers of community-dwelling persons living with dementia in Ontario may yield better-informed policy decisions around financial support for this rapidly growing group of caregivers and consequently better health outcomes.

Joanne Tay is a Registered Nurse with a background in pediatric nursing, currently pursuing her PhD in Nursing at the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto. Her research interest is to understand the family’s experience when living with an ill child. As such, her study titled “Exploring the healthy siblings’ coping and adjustment trajectory in children with a life-threatening condition” aims to lay the foundation for future research to develop interventions which could best support these families. Aside from research, Joanne is a ballet instructor who teaches children’s ballet during her free time. She finds great joy in working with children and parents, and witnessing parents’ pride when their child achieves a new milestone in life!

Children with Complex Health Needs

Project tweet: Every family member plays an important role in caring for a child with complex medical needs. The family members’ experiences affect the quality of care that is provided to the ill child at home. Exploring factors that affect their experience can help inform future interventions to improve the family’s overall experience.

Eco Sober House:  recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.