معرفی
Nancy Lightfoot is a Full Professor in Laurentian University's School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, specializing in health services research with expertise in rural and northern health contexts. She previously served as Senior Epidemiologist at the Northeastern Ontario Regional Cancer Centre and Division Head of Human Sciences at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and currently teaches critical appraisal and research methods in the Interdisciplinary Health and Rural and Northern Health PhD programs.
Her academic credentials include:
- B.Sc. in Microbiology from the University of Toronto (Trinity College)
- M.Sc. in Microbiology from the University of Toronto
- Ph.D. in Community Health and Epidemiology from the University of Toronto
Dr. Lightfoot's research centers on patient and caregiver experiences across autoimmune conditions, joint replacements, osteoporosis, cancers, and chronic diseases. She actively investigates wildfire impacts on communities, healthcare access challenges in remote regions, and occupational health issues including mining-related cancers and compensation systems. Her methodological expertise spans quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches with strong community engagement.
Analysis of her recent publications (2016-2024) reveals concentrated focus on occupational health in Northern Ontario mining communities, rural healthcare access disparities, and community resilience during environmental disasters. Her work consistently employs qualitative methodologies to examine patient experiences while maintaining epidemiological rigor in cohort studies, with growing emphasis on Indigenous community partnerships and environmental health determinants.
Her notable recognitions include:
- Certificate of Appreciation for student success dedication (Laurentian University, 2012-13)
- Top Ten Researcher in Faculty of Health (2015, 2016)
- Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology (2017-)
- Impact Award from Occupational Safety and Health Research Centre (2008-2018)
Dr. Lightfoot actively supervises doctoral and master's students, particularly supporting those employing qualitative methods and committed to timely degree completion. Her grant portfolio demonstrates sustained funding for community-based participatory research on occupational health, rural healthcare access, and disaster preparedness, frequently involving collaborations with Indigenous communities and occupational safety organizations. Current projects address wildfire evacuation impacts and healthcare provider experiences in rheumatoid arthritis treatment.
She maintains active research partnerships with the Laurentian University Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, leading interdisciplinary teams focused on community-engaged health research in Northern Ontario.
