Projects

  • "Activate" - the Remote Cardiac Rehabilitation Activation Study

    This project is supported by a University Hospital Foundation - Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute Pattison Award 2015.


    Investigators: Mary Forhan, Rajdeep Padwal, Colleen Norris, William Dafoe, Robert Haennel, Gabor Gyenes, Kara Penney, Mishaela Houle, David Buijs, Matthew McEwan

    The goal of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of a remote cardiac rehabilitation program that includes internet-based monitoring. The outcomes include cardiovascular fitness, disease risk factor reduction, exercise adherence, health-related quality of life, and physical function.
  • Care and Rehabilitation for Patients with Severe Obesity in Alberta's Tertiary Care Settings

    The following projects are supported by an Alberta Innovates Health Solutions-Partnership for Research & Innovation in the Health System (AIHS-PRHIS) funded grant and in-kind support from the Alberta Health Services-Diabetes Obesity and Nutrition Strategic Clinical Network (AHS-SCN) and the Canadian Obesity Network (CON)

    1. Epidemiology and Costs of Care for Pediatric Rehabilitation Patients with Severe Obesity

    Investigators: Mary Forhan, Jeff Johnson, Arya Sharma, Geoff Ball, Rajdeep Padwal, Jim Raso

    The goal of this project is to determine the prevalence of obesity, length of stay, and estimated hospital costs for pediatric rehabilitation patients admitted to a tertiary level hospital for services over a ten-year period.

    2. Epidemiology and Costs of Care for Adult Patients with Severe Obesity Undergoing Coronary Revascularization in Alberta

    Investigators: Mary Forhan, Jeff Johnson, Arya Sharma, Colleen Norris, Rajdeep Padwal

    The purpose of this project is to assess the impact of severe obesity on the care and outcomes for adult patients undergoing coronary revascularization in Alberta.

    3. Epidemiology and Costs of Care for Adult Cancer Patients with Severe Obesity Requiring Tertiary Care in Alberta

    Investigators: Mary Forhan, Arya Sharma, David Dyer, Jeff Johnson, Rajdeep Padwal, Seyyed Mohammad Reza Kazemi Bajestani

    The goal of this project is to determine the prevalence of severe obesity, length of stay, and estimated costs of care among patients with cancer admitted to a tertiary level care facility over a four-year period.

    4. Contributors to Increased Hospital Costs Associated with Severe Adult Obesity in Post-Acute Rehabilitation

    Investigators: Mary Forhan, Jeff Johnson, Arya Sharma, Rajdeep Padwal, Jim Raso

    The purpose of this project is to determine the prevalence of obesity, length of stay, and estimated hospital costs among adult rehabilitation patients admitted to a tertiary rehabilitation hospital for services. This includes investigation into the uptake of new procedures for routine body measurements (height, weight, and waist circumference) for all patients admitted for services.

    5. Interdisciplinary Competency Development and Capacity Building in Bariatric Rehabilitation for Health Professionals

    Investigators: Mary Forhan, Arya Sharma

    The objective of this project is to systematically gather and evaluate existing knowledge dissemination interventions available to students and health care professionals in providing quality rehabilitation care for patients with obesity. These research activities are for the purpose of improving capacity and competencies required to reduce the burden of severe obesity on the health care system.
  • Finding Optimal Panniculus Support using External Support Garments

    This project is supported in-kind by Obesinov


    Investigators: Mary Forhan, Robert Lederer, Loren Chiu, Shahzeer Karmali, Chris deGara, Kathy Danzinger, Jenifer Bennet, Kerry Atkins

    The purpose of this project is to test the feasibility and impact of a custom-made panniculus support garment for patients who have undergone bariatric surgery. The outcomes focus on functional mobility, quality of life and skin integrity.
  • Prevalence of Weight Bias amongst Health Care Professionals in Alberta

    This project is supported in-kind by the Edmonton Adult Bariatric Specialty Clinic, Alberta Health Services (AHS)


    Investigators: Jenifer Bennett, Kathy Danzinger, Mary Forhan

    The objective of this project is to determine the presence and extent of weight bias toward patients with obesity among health care professionals employed with AHS. The project will also identify factors contributing to weight bias and potential intervention strategies.