In Our VoICES

What happens after a concussion, and could its effects linger far longer than most people realize? In this episode, Dr. Donald Redelmeier discusses what population-based research reveals about the lasting effects of concussion for some patients, from traffic risks to long-term recovery and disability.
Dr. Donald Redelmeier received his MD from University of Toronto, completed postgraduate training at Stanford, and obtained a Masters degree in Health Services Research as a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar. His research spans a variety of areas emphasizing the psychology of decision making and the epidemiology of motor vehicle trauma. Dr. Redelmeier serves as a Professor at the University of Toronto; a Senior Scientist at the Sunnybrook Research Institute; a Senior Scientist at ICES; and a Staff Physician in General Internal Medicine at Sunnybrook (Canada’s largest trauma hospital).
Resources
ICES | Concussions and risk of a subsequent traffic crash: retrospective cohort analysis in Ontario, Canada
ICES | Prior concussions and risk of disability for patients after a motor vehicle crash

EPISODE CREDITS:
Produced, edited and mixed by Will Mcintyre, Richard Villeneuve and Pop Up Podcasting
Artwork designed by Stella-Luna Ha
Music licensed through Melodie Music
LINKS:
Be sure to follow and tag ICES on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. To find out more about our organization, visit us at ices.on.ca

What can a national health data system reveal about perinatal opioid use in Canada and the supports families need most? In this episode, Dr. Andi Camden and peer researcher Ashley Smoke speak about the Canadian Perinatal Opioid Project, its interactive dashboard, and the importance of storytelling, community engagement, and compassionate, evidence-based care. 

Dr. Andi Camden is an Epidemiologist and Senior Research Associate at the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children at SickKids and the University of Toronto, as well as an ICES Fellow. She holds both a PhD and an MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Toronto, where she also completed a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship. Andi’s research uses administrative data and community engagement to explore the impact of medication use, including opioids, during pregnancy on maternal and child health across the life course. Andi currently leads a Public Health Agency of Canada-funded project called the Canadian Perinatal Opioid Project where she is developing Canada’s first health data system to monitor perinatal opioid use and subsequent health outcomes.

Ashley Smoke is a First Nations community member from Alderville First Nation, a Peer Researcher with the Canadian Perinatal Opioid Project, a Drug Strategy Coordinator, consultant, and public speaker based in Port Hope, Ontario. Ashley brings together professional expertise and lived experience to help achieve better healthcare for people who use drugs, particularly Indigenous families and pregnant and parenting people. Both of their children were born while Ashley was receiving methadone treatment, giving them firsthand experience navigating pregnancy, parenting, health care, stigma, and systems that often make families feel judged rather than supported. Through research, education, and advocacy, Ashley works to challenge harmful assumptions and help build more compassionate, culturally safe, and evidence-based approaches to perinatal substance use care.

Resources

Dashboard - Canadian Perinatal Opioid Project

EPISODE CREDITS:
Produced, edited and mixed by Will Mcintyre, Richard Villeneuve and Pop Up Podcasting
Artwork designed by Stella-Luna Ha
Music licensed through Melodie Music
LINKS:
Be sure to follow and tag ICES on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. To find out more about our organization, visit us at ices.on.ca

How can data and community partners work together to shape the future of dementia care? In this episode of In Our VoICES, ICES’ Dr. Susan Bronskill and the Alzheimer Society of Ontario’s Christina Stergiou-Dayment discuss how partnerships, data analytics, and community-based data are improving support for people living with dementia and their care partners while informing the future of dementia care across Ontario and Canada. 

Susan E. Bronskill, PhD is interim Chief Science Officer and a Senior Scientist at ICES where she leads the Life Stage Research Program. She is also a Professor in the Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto. Dr. Bronskill is a national expert in health services research using administrative databases with a focus on older adults, pharmacoepidemiology and neurodegenerative diseases. In collaboration with policymakers and health system stakeholders, she studies transitions between health care sectors and focusses on improving quality of care, medication use, health services utilization and health care outcomes — particularly in people living with dementia from Alzheimer’s disease or other causes.  

Christina Stergiou-Dayment is the Chief, Programs & Clinical Operations Officer with the Alzheimer Society of Ontario and is a Healthcare Professional with experience working across community, hospital, and long-term care sectors. Christina’s key areas of focus include healthcare management, program planning, partner engagement, and evaluation. Most importantly, Christina is dedicated to promoting client-centred approaches to care with improved health outcomes and increased quality of life.  

Resources

Alzheimer Society of Ontario

ICES | Applied Health Research Questions | AHRQ

ICES | Health system utilization and outcomes for clients of the Alzheimer Society First Link Care Navigation

ICES | Dementia prevalence by FSA in Ontario

ICES | Profile of community-dwelling older adults with dementia in Ontario LHIN regions, 2007-2017

EPISODE CREDITS:
Produced, edited and mixed by Will Mcintyre, Richard Villeneuve and Pop Up Podcasting
Artwork designed by Stella-Luna Ha
Music licensed through Melodie Music
LINKS:
Be sure to follow and tag ICES on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. To find out more about our organization, visit us at ices.on.ca

What does the latest data say about ADHD and pregnancy, and how should those findings be understood without stigma or fear? In this episode, Dr. Jonathan Zipursky discusses why supportive, personalized care and informed decision-making are key for people navigating pregnancy with ADHD. This episode is a shorter, refreshed take as we try out a new format that zooms in on a single study, giving us the chance to explore it in more depth while still delivering the key insights in a quick, focused way. Let us know what you think! 

More than 90% of pregnant individuals will use at least one medication during pregnancy, and at least half of those who breastfeed will continue to use medications. Despite this, there remains a paucity of data on the safety of drugs in pregnancy and lactation. Dr. Jonathan Zipursky’s research uses population-based administrative health data to investigate the maternal and neonatal safety of drug use in pregnancy and postpartum. One of his primary interests is investigating controlled substance use in pregnancy and lactation.  

Resources

ICES | Maternal attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and adverse obstetrical and perinatal outcomes: a population-based cohort study in Ontario, Canada

EPISODE CREDITS:
Produced, edited and mixed by Will Mcintyre, Richard Villeneuve and Pop Up Podcasting
Artwork designed by Stella-Luna Ha
Music licensed through Melodie Music
LINKS:
Be sure to follow and tag ICES on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. To find out more about our organization, visit us at ices.on.ca

How can linked genetic and health data transform cancer research? In this episode, we explore how the Ontario Hereditary Cancer Research Network (OHCRN) works with patients and researchers to improve prevention and care, and how linking with ICES data supports a better understanding of hereditary cancers across Ontario. 

Dr. Raymond Kim is a Medical Geneticist and hereditary cancer syndrome researcher.  He is the Medical Director of Cancer Early Detection at the Princess Margaret, University Health Network, and a staff physician at Mount Sinai Hospital and the Hospital for Sick Children. Dr. Kim’s research employs technologies like cell free DNA (cfDNA) and whole genome sequencing (WGS), with the overarching goal of advancing oncology diagnostics and therapeutics towards precision care, often through application of these genomics technologies.  He serves as the Head of the Provincial Genetics Program at Ontario Health and leads the Ontario Hereditary Cancer Research Network (OHCRN) at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR).  

Tamara Braid, MS, CGC, is a board-certified genetic counsellor and Clinical Program Manager of the Ontario Hereditary Cancer Research Network (OHCRN) at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR). She earned her Master of Science in Human Genetics from Sarah Lawrence College in 2017. Prior to joining OICR, Braid worked as a cancer genetic counsellor at NYU Langone Health in New York, and as a laboratory coordinator and paediatric genetic counsellor at the Hospital for Sick Children. Braid is an active member of the Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors (CAGC), and serves as member and previous co-chair of the Education Committee.

Katie Lark is a BRCA1 carrier and an impassioned cancer-awareness advocate dedicated to bridging the gap between clinical research and the patient experience. Since 2021, she has served as a Patient Partner in Research for the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) and OHCRN, where she contributes to research steering committees and collaborates with scientists to ensure study designs remain relevant to the community.

 

Resources: 

OHCRN

Misty’s movie reference: Innerspace (1987) - IMDb

EPISODE CREDITS:
Produced, edited and mixed by Will Mcintyre, Richard Villeneuve and Pop Up Podcasting
Artwork designed by Stella-Luna Ha
Music licensed through Melodie Music
LINKS:
Be sure to follow and tag ICES on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. To find out more about our organization, visit us at ices.on.ca