Janessa Griffith
Professional Summary
Dedicated to advancing science and shaping the future through academic research and knowledge mobilization.
Explore my journey of discovery and innovation.
About Me.
Dr. Janessa Griffith is Faculty in the Health Information Management program at Douglas College and Research Director at the Work Wellness Institute. She holds a PhD in Medical Science from the University of Toronto. Dr. Griffith teaches Health Information Systems and Technology, Research Methods and Epidemiology, and Data Analytics and Reporting to senior Health Information Management Students. As Research Director, she oversees all study activities at a not-for-profit aimed to improve the health and safety of Canadians in the workplace.
Dr. Griffith’s research focuses on bridging the gap between research and practice through knowledge translation initiatives. She recently conducted research on vaccine hesitancy in Canada which gained national and international media coverage. Dr. Griffith mobilized this research by creating an initiative to promote vaccine uptake in Canada which was recognized by the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, and Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Theresa Tam.
Additionally, Dr. Griffith’s research focuses on health information systems evaluation, including decision support systems and mobile health apps. With expertise in mixed methods research, she completed a study to determine the impact of a decision support system to reduce unnecessary laboratory testing in the emergency department. The throughline in all of Dr. Griffith’s research is that it incorporates an equity lens, as evidenced through her work analyzing the representation of people experiencing myocardial infarctions in online images using Artificial Intelligence.
Education
2021
PhD, Medical Science
University of Toronto
Focused on decision support tools to reduce unnecessary (i.e., low value care) testing in the emergency department.
2012
MSc, Health Informatics
University of Victoria
Concentrated on digital tools to reduce unnecessary diagnostic imaging tests.
2009
BA, Psychology
University of Victoria
Focused on human-computer interaction, social and cognitive psychology.
Professional Appointments
2023-Present
Postdoctoral Associate
Cornell Tech, Cornell University
Focus on wearable devices for women's health, including perimenopausal depression.
2022-Present
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Health Information Science University of Victoria
Collaborate with researchers at the University of Victoria's School of Health Information Science on projects centered around usability and consumer informatics.
2022-Present
Research Director
Work Wellness Institute
Conduct research on the health, safety, and wellbeing of workers across Canada. Recently completed a study on digital gig economy workers who have disabilities and ways to improve policies to improve working conditions.
2019-Present
Faculty
Health Information Management
Douglas College
Teach Health Information Management post-bachelor degree students courses such as: Health Information Systems, Data Analytics and Reporting, Research Methods, and Risk Management. Also involved in curriculum design and accreditation.
Knowledge Mobilization and Media
Twitter Research
