I am a PhD Candidate in the interdisciplinary Health Policy program at McMaster University, specializing in health economics. My dissertation, on a broad level, is on health, health care use, and economic outcomes of immigrants in Canada. More specifically, in my research, I use both large-scale datasets and experimental survey mixed-methods to study mental health service use in children/youth, labour outcomes in Canadians who undergo a health shock, and older adults' preferences for elder care settings and characteristics, all with a immigrant health focus. Prior to my PhD, I earned a Master of Public Health degree from The University of Guelph, with a special focus on knowledge synthesis and infectious diseseas research, and a Honours Bachelor of Science in Biology and Physiology from McMaster University. I also worked as an Epidemiologist at the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Research Interests: Health Equity, Vulnerable Populations, Epidemiology, Health Economics
Sophiya Garasia
PhD Candidate in Health Policy at McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada)
Some of my experiences
Research Assistant, CHEPA
2017-Present
Collaborated on a number of quantitative and synthesis research projects, in areas of prescription drug coverage in Canada, the effect of tobacco taxes and prices globally, and socioeconomic status and health, as a member of the Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis, located at McMaster University
Researcher, Department of Economics, McMaster
Conducted an environmental scan of policy documents to synthesize information on the current long-term care funding system in Ontario
2020
Curriculum Development Assistant, MacPherson Institute
2019
As a Student Partner, led a project in collaboration with the Program Director of the PhD Health Policy program and the MacPherson Institute of Teaching to assess how best to integrate professional core competencies into the program. Responsibilities included surveying other health services and policy research programs across Canada, creating a survey, organizing focus groups with current PhD students and alumni, analyzing data, and writing a report.
Education
PhD, Health Policy, McMaster University
2017-Present
-Dissertation title: Health, health care, and economic experiences of migrants in Canada
- Specialized in Health Economics
- Interdisciplinary degree with a focus on political studies, social organizations and systems, and health economics
- Recipient of multiple awards and grants including but not limited to Ontario Graduate Scholarship, CRDCN Emerging Scholars award, SSHRC Insight Development Grant, and Michael DeGroote Scholarship of Excellence
MPH, Public Health, University of Guelph
2014-2016
- Received didactic and experiential training in public health practice, including areas such as epidemiology, infectious diseases, program evaluation, health promotion, applied research, and transformation of science into policy
- Completed practicum at Public Health Agency of Canada, Infectious Diseases Department
BSc, Biology, McMaster University
2006-2010
- Fourth-year thesis: Lack of association between type 2 diabetes and major depression: Epidemiologic and genetic evidence in a multiethnic population
- Specialized in physiology