Sara Ahmed
Associate Professor, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy
Dr. Ahmed conducts research aimed at improving health outcomes for individuals with chronic disease. Her research includes studies that
1) address the challenges of using patient reported outcomes (e.g. health-related quality of life, self-efficacy)听 in chronic disease management programs, and the use of advanced psychometric approaches for improving the precision and efficiency of outcome evaluations,
2) develop and evaluate the impact of chronic disease computer-enabled self-management interventions integrated into electronic personal health records (e.g. web-based asthma and COPD self-management applications), and
3) knowledge exchange and transfer related to best practices for chronic disease management.
Research Areas:听
chronic disease management
clinical epidemiology
health informatics
health outcome assessment,
health services research
health technology assessment
population and public health
preventive Medicine
Cavallo, S., Brosseau, L., Toupin-April, K., Wells, G.A., Smith, C.A., Pugh, A.G., Stinson, J., Thomas, R., Ahmed, S., Duffy, C.M. and Rahman, P. (2017) Ottawa Panel evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for structured physical activity in the management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 98(5), pp.1018-1041.
Gogovor A,听Visca R,听Auger C, Bouvrette-Leblanc Iphigenia Symeonidis Lise Poissant Mark A. Ware, Yoram Shir, Natacha Viens,听Ahmed S. (2017)听Informing the design of a chronic pain internet-based self-management portal.听International journal of Medical Informatics, 97, pp.听109鈥�119
Ahmed S,听Swaine B,听Milot M,听Gaudet C,听Poldma T, Bartlett G, Mazer B, Le Dorze G, Barbic S, Rodriguez AM, Lefebvre H, Archambault PS, Fung J, Labb茅 D, Lamontagne A, 听Kehayia E听et al. (2017) Creating an inclusive mall environment with the PRECEDE-PROCEED model: a living lab case study.听Disability and Rehabilitation, pp. 1-9.
Kairy D, Messier F,听Zidarov D,听Ahmed S,听Poissant L, Rushton P, Vincent C, Fillion B, Lavoie V. (2017) Evaluating the Implementation Process of a New Telerehabilitation Modality in Three Rehabilitation Settings using the Normalization Process Theory: Study Protocol.听International Journal of Healthcare Management, pp. 1-8.
Shankland B, Beaton D,听Ahmed S, Nedelec B. (2017) Effects of client-centered multimodal treatment on impairment, function, and satisfaction of people with thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis.听Journal of Hand Therapy.
Ware P, Bartlett S, Par茅 G, Symeonidis I, Tannenbaum C, Bartlett G, Poissant L,听Ahmed S. (2017) Using eHealth Technologies: Interests, Preferences and Concerns of Older Adults.听Interactive Journal of Medical Research, 6(1):e3
Ahmed S,听Ernst P, Bartlett S, Valois MF,听Zaihra听T, Par茅 G, Grad R,听Eilayyan O, Perreault R, Tamblyn R.听(2016) The effectiveness of web-based asthma self-management: A pilot randomized clinical trial of My Asthma Portal (MAP).听Journal of Medical Internet Research, 18(12):e313听
Dhopte听P,听Ahmed S, Mayo N, French S, Quon J, Bussi猫res A. (2016) Testing the feasibility of a knowledge translation intervention designed to improve chiropractic care for adults with neck pain disorders: study protocol for a pilot cluster-randomized controlled trial.听Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 2:33.
Zaihra听T, Walsh C,听Ahmed S, Fugere C, Hamid Q, Olivenstein R, Martin J, Benedetti A.听(2016)听"Phenotyping of difficult asthma using longitudinal physiological and biomarker measurements reveals significant differences in stability between clusters".听BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 16(1):74.
Black N, Burke L, Forrest CB, Ravens Sieberer UH,听Ahmed S, Valderas JM, Bartlett SJ, Alonso J. (2015) Patient-reported outcomes: pathways to better health, better services, and better societies.听Quality of Life Research, 25(5), 1103-1112.
Sena RDS, Bourbeau J, Li PZ,听Ahmed S.听(2015) Validity and usability testing of the Fitbit pedometer in patients with COPD. European Respiratory Journal; 46(suppl 59):PA2067
Shahrbanian S, Duquette P,听Ahmed S, Mayo NE. (2015) Pain acts through fatigue to affect participation in individuals with multiple sclerosis.听Quality of Life Research, 25(2), 477-491.
Martin P, Tamblyn R,听Ahmed S, Benedetti A, Tannenbaum C. (2015) A consumer-targeted, pharmacist-led, educational intervention to reduce inappropriate medication use in community older adults (D-PRESCRIBE trial): study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.听Trials, 16:266.
Bauer M,听Ahmed S, Benedetti A, Greenaway C, Lalli M, Leavens A, Menzies D, Vadeboncoeur C, Vissandj茅e B, Wynne A, Schwartzman K.听(2015) Health-related quality of life and tuberculosis: a longitudinal cohort study.听Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 13: 65.
Ahmed, S., Ware, P., Visca, R., Bareil, C., Chouinard, M.C., Desforges, J., Finlayson, R., Fortin, M., Gauthier, J., Grimard, D. and Guay, M. (2015) The Prevention and Management of Chronic Disease in Primary Care: Recommendations from a Knowledge Translation Meeting.听BMC Notes, 8:571.
Montague T,听Gogovor A,听Ahmed S, Torr E, Aylen J, Marshall L, Henningsen N, Nemis-White J. (2015) Contributions and Challenges of Non-professional Patient Care: A Key Component of Contemporary Canadian Health Care. Healthcare Quarterly, 8 (3): 18-22.
Tamblyn R, Ernst P, Winslade N, Huang A, Grad R, Platt RW,听Ahmed S, Moraga T, Eguale. (2015) Evaluating the impact of an integrated computer-based decision support with person-centered analytics for the management of asthma in primary care: a randomized controlled trial.听Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 22(4):773-83.
Zaihra T; Ernst P; Tamblyn R;听Ahmed S. Tailoring interventions: identifying predictors of poor asthma control. (2015)听Annals of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, 114(6):485-491.e1
Bussi猫res AE, Al Zoubi F, Quon JA,听Ahmed S, Thomas A, Stuber K, Sajko S, French S. (2015) Members of the Canadian Chiropractic Guideline Initiative.听Fast tracking the design of theory-based KT interventions through a consensus process.听Implementation Science, 10(1):18
听Ahmed S, Marshall L,听Gogovor A, Morton W, Norman, J., Nemis-White J, Montague T (2015). Challenges and Opportunities: Results of the 2013-2014 Health Care in Canada Survey 2015. Available from .
Montague T, Nemis-White J, Marshall L,听Gogovor A, Torr E,听Ahmed S.听(2015) Recent Health Care Trends in Canada: Perceptions of Quality, Access and Affordability; and, Priorities for Improvement, 1998-2014. Available from .
Nemis-White J, Torr E,听Gogovor A, Marshall L,听Ahmed S, Montague T. (2014) Stakeholder Surveys of Canadian Health Care Performance: What Are They Telling Us? Who Should Be Listening? Who Should Be Acting; and, How?听听Healthcare Quarterly, 17(4):22-7.
Bauer M, Ahmed S, Benedetti A, Greenaway C, Lalli M, Leavens A, Menzies D, Vadeboncoeur C, Vissandj茅e B, Wynne A, and Schwartzman K. (2015) The impact of tuberculosis on health utility: a longitudinal cohort study.听Quality of Life Research, 24(6):1337-4
Paap MC, Bode C, Lenferink LI, Groen LC, Terwee CB,听Ahmed S, Eilayyan O, van der Palen J. (2014) Identifying key domains of health-related quality of life for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the patient perspective.听Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 12(1):106.
Ahmed S,听Ware P, Visca R, Gogovor A. (2014) La pr茅vention et la gestion des maladies chroniques dans les soins de premi猫re ligne. Synth猫se de la rencontre Pfizer-FRQS-MSSS de transfert de connaissances sur les maladies chroniques.听
Tannenbaum C, Martin P, Tamblyn R, Benedetti A,听Ahmed S.听(2014) Reduction of inappropriate benzodiazepine prescriptions among older adults through direct patient education: the EMPOWER cluster randomized trial.听JAMA Internal Medicine, 174(6):890-8
Ahmed S, Sawatsky R, Feldman D, Levesque J., Schwartz CE.听(2014) Minimal Evidence of Response Shift in the Absence of a Catalyst.听Quality of Life Research, 23(9):2421-30.
Petzold A, Korner-Bitensky N, Salbach NM,听Ahmed S, Menon A, Ogourtsova T. (2014) Determining the barriers and facilitators to adopting best practices in the management of poststroke unilateral spatial neglect: results of a qualitative study.听Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation, 21(3):228-36
Eilayyan O, Mayo NE, Ernst P, Gogovor A,听Ahmed S. (2014) Predictors of perceived asthma control in primary care clinics.听Quality of Life Research, 24(1):55-65.
Thomas A, Menon A, Boruff J, Rodriguez AM,听Ahmed S. (2014) Applications of social constructivist learning theories in knowledge translation for healthcare professionals: a scoping review.听Implementation Science, 9:54
Wicks P, Stamford J, Grootenhuis M, Haverman L,听Ahmed S. (2013) Innovations in e-health.听Quality of Life Research, 1-9.
Kwakkenbos L, Jewett LR, Baron M, Bartlett SJ, Furst D, Gottesman K, Khanna D, Malcarne VL, Mayes MD, Mouthon L, Poiraudeau S, Sauve M, Nielson WR, Poole JL, Assassi S, Boutron I, Ells C, van den Ende CH, Hudson M, Impens A, K枚rner A, Leite C, Costa Maia A, Mendelson C, Pope J, Steele RJ, Suarez-Almazor ME,听Ahmed S, Coronado-Montoya S, Delisle VC, Gholizadeh S, Jang Y, Levis B, Milette K, Mills SD, Razykov I, Fox RS, Thombs BD.听(2013) The Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) Cohort: protocol for a cohort multiple randomised controlled trial (cmRCT) design to support trials of psychosocial and rehabilitation interventions in a rare disease context.听BMJ Open, 3:e003563.
Martin P, Tamblyn R,听Ahmed S, Tannenbaum C. An educational intervention to reduce the use of potentially inappropriate medications among older adults (EMPOWER study): protocol for a cluster randomized trial.听Trials. 2013, 14:80.
Schwartz CE,听听Ahmed S, Sawatzky R, Sajobi T, Mayo N, Finkelstein J, Lix L, Verdam MGE, Oort JF, Sprangers MAJ. Guidelines for secondary analysis in search of response shift.听Quality of Life Research. 2013, DOI 10.1007/s11136-013-0402-0.
Prasanna S, Korner-Bitensky N, Ahmed S. Delay in accessing health care for knee osteoarthritis - Exploring Health Professional and Layperson Perceptions of Reasons.听Physiotherapy Canada听2013; 65 (1): 56-63.
Martin P, Tamblyn R,听Ahmed S, Tannenbaum C. A Drug Education Tool Developed for Older Adults Changes Knowledge, Beliefs and Risk Perceptions about Inappropriate Benzodiazepine.听 Prescriptions in the Elderly.听Patient Education & Counseling. 2013, 92(1):81-7.
Reeve BB, Wyrwich KW, Wu AW, Velikova G, Terwee CB, Snyder CF, Schwatrz C, Revicki DA, Moinpour CM, McLeod LD, Lyons JC, Lenderking WR, Hinds PS, Hays RD, Greenhalgh J, Gershon R, Feeny D, Fayers PM, Cella D, Brundage M, Ahmed S, Aaronson NK, Butt Z. (2013). ISOQOL recommends minimum standards for patient-reported outcome measures used in patient-centered outcomes and comparative effectiveness research. Quality of Life Research, 22(8):1889-905.
Gogovor A, Burnand B, Ahmed S, Montague T and Peytremann-Bridevaux I. (2012) Team effectiveness in patient health management: An overview of reviews. International Journal of Clinical Medicine, 3(7):614-27.听
Ahmed S, Basch E et al. (2012) The use of patient-reported outcomes (PRO) within comparative effectiveness research: Implications for clinical practice and healthcare policy. Medical Care, 50:1060-70.
Figueiredo S, Finch L, Mai JG, Ahmed S, Huang A and Mayo N. (2012) Nordic walking for geriatric rehabilitation: A randomized pilot trial. Disability and Rehabilitation, 35(12):968-75
Petzold A, Korner-Bitensky N, Salbach NM, Ahmed S, Menon A and Ogourtsova T. (2012) Increasing knowledge of best practices in occupational therapists treating post-stroke unilateral spatial neglectL Results of a knowledge-translation intervention study. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 44(2):188-24.
Ahmed S, Bartlett S, Ernst P, Pare G et al. (2011) My Asthma Portal (MAP): The effect of a web-based chronic disease management system on asthma control and health-related quality of life. Trials, 12:160.
Ahmed S, Mayo N, Scott S, Kuspinar A and Schwartz C. (2011) Using latent trajectory analysis of residuals to detect response shift in general health among patients with Multiple Sclerosis. Quality of Life Research, 20(10):1555-60.
Poissant L, Ahmed S, Riopelle RJ, Rochette A, Lefebvre H and Radcliffe-Branch D. (2010) Synergizing expectation and execution for stroke communities of practice innovations. Implementation Science, 5:44
Ahmed S, Gogovor A, Kosseim M et al. (2010) Advancing the chronic care road map: A contemporary overview. Healthcare Quarterly, 13(3):72-9.
Montague T, Gogovor A, Krelenbaum M, Ahmed S, Miloff BE and Burnand B. (2009) Changing healthcare: Stakeholder perceptions of the burnden of chronica disease and the value of teams, measurements and communication. Healthcare Quarterly, 12(2):e1-e13.