معرفی
Dr. Karen A. Patte is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Brock University's Faculty of Applied Health Sciences and holds the Canada Research Chair in Child Health Equity and Inclusion. Her research program applies socioecological frameworks to examine psychosocial, behavioral, and environmental predictors of youth mental health trajectories, with emphasis on health inequities and school-based interventions.
Her education includes a PhD in Kinesiology and Health Science from York University, a Doctoral Diploma in Health Psychology, graduate certification in Mental Health and Addictions counselling, and postdoctoral training at the University of Waterloo's School of Public Health. Her interdisciplinary background spans clinical counselling and population-level prevention research.
Research Focus:
Dr. Patte investigates determinants of youth mental health using mixed-methods approaches, with particular interest in: mental health and substance use; obesity and eating disorders; weight stigma; school health policies; physical activity/sedentary behavior; adverse childhood experiences; and health promotion program evaluation.
Publication Trends:
Her extensive publication record focuses on longitudinal analyses of youth health behaviors during COVID-19, school-based interventions, mental health measurement validation, and socioeconomic disparities in health outcomes. Recent work demonstrates strong emphasis on pandemic impacts, health equity, and translational research.
Awards and Recognition:
- Canada Research Chair in Child Health Equity and Inclusion
Research Leadership:
She co-leads the CIHR-funded COMPASS study, a large-scale prospective cohort (2012-present) tracking health behaviors among 70,000+ Canadian secondary students across 130+ schools to evaluate policy impacts on youth health outcomes.
