Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Faculty Member

Erica Di Ruggiero BSc., MHSc., PhD, RD

Research Interests

• Study of population health interventions (policies, programs), their health, gender and health equity impacts on different populations made structurally vulnerable (e.g. precarious workers, unpaid caregivers, food insecure communities, vaccine confidence among minoritized communities)
  • Relationship between context and population health interventions
  • Social and economic policies influencing decent work at the global level
• Global agenda setting in policy
• Governance of public health systems
• Population health intervention and implementation research/science
• Qualitative research and mixed methods research; discourse analysis
• Diverse theories/frameworks (e.g. political economy of health, intersectionality, policy theories; consolidated framework for implementation research)
• Knowledge utilization and exchange strategies to influence public health decision-making at national and global levels (e.g. Sustainable Development Goals)

Primary Teaching Responsibilities

• • Lead Instructor, Population Health Intervention Research, CHL5132H
  • Co-Instructor, Global Health Policy, CHL4004H

I am the Associate Dean, Research and Innovation, Director of the Centre for Global Health and Director of the Collaborative Specialization in Global Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH). I am an Associate Professor of Global Health in the Division of Social and Behavioural Health Sciences and hold non-budgetary cross-appointments as Associate Professor in the Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, and the Department of Health & Society (UTSC). I am a Full Member of the School of Graduate Studies.

Select Honours & Awards

• University of Toronto Global Educator Award (2026)
• DLSPH Faculty Award for Excellence in Supervision and Mentorship (2024)
• DLSPH Faculty Teaching Award for Excellence (open) (2021-2022)
• Named one of Canada’s Women in Global Health by the Lancet and the Canadian Association for Global Health (bi-annual list in 2018 & 2020)
• Commendation for Dr. Erica Di Ruggiero from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR’s) Science Council for “outstanding accomplishments, contributions and leadership throughout her 15 years with the CIHR and specifically its Institute of Population and Public Health” (2016)
• Canadian Public Health Association, Special Recognition Award for Outstanding Contributions
• CIHR-Institute of Population and Public Health Advisory Board Award for Excellence
• CIHR President Award for Team Excellence and Professional Excellence
• Canadian Cancer Society Award for Excellence in Medicine and Health
• Society of Chemical Industry Merit Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement, University of Toronto, Department of Nutritional Sciences
• Daniel Wilson Scholarship in Science, University of Toronto, Department of Nutritional Sciences

Current Research Projects

My program of research examines the impacts of population health interventions (policies, programs) on global social, gender and health inequities impacting structural marginalized populations, using novel conceptual, methodological and comparative approaches. I am interested in how different discourses shape global policy agendas related to employment, other determinants and health and gender equity in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals and other global and national policy agendas. My research also investigates the effectiveness of global, national and sub-national governance mechanisms for equitable public health systems.

Representative Publications

• Wodnik, B., Chatterjee, D., Picho Keronyai, P., Kowooya, P., Namuswe, D., Tumusiime, J., Omar, U. Musulwa, A., Obbuyi, A., Waneri, V., Addiss, D., Lavery, J., Di Ruggiero, E. (2026). Compassion in organizations: Considering the organizational social architecture of two primary healthcare centres in Kenya and Uganda. International Journal of Wellbeing; Towards an Epidemiology of Compassion Special Issue, 16(2):1-21
• Kiddu Namyalo P. (co-first author), Wodnik, B. (co-first author), Michaelides, O., Essue, B., Kane, S., Di Ruggiero, E. (senior author) (2025). Identifying implementation science research and policy priorities to advance universal health coverage: A multi-country modified Delphi study”. BMJ Global Health 10:e018562
• Di Ruggiero, E. (2025). Competing conceptualizations of decent work: measurement and policy coherence challenges. Chapter in: The Elgar Companion to Decent Work and the Sustainable Development Goals. Editors: M. Moore, C. Scherrer, M. van der Linden. Edward Elgar Publishing (pp. 185-198)
• Mondal, S., Rego, K., Talwar Kapoor, G., Wodnik, B., Law, M. (co-senior author), Di Ruggiero, E. (co-senior author) (2025). Organizational Leadership Competencies for Public Health System Governance: A Scoping Review. Journal of Public Health Management & Practice Sep-Oct 01;31(5):795-805
• Kadio K, Song MY, Karbasi A, Blake-Hepburn D, Fadel SA, Allin S, Ataullahjan A, Di Ruggiero E. (senior author) (2024). How have Ontario Public Health units engaged with faith-based organizations to build confidence in COVID-19 vaccines among ethno-racial communities? PLOS Glob Public Health. 4(12):e0003924. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003924.
• Wodnik, B. K., Namyalo, P. K., Michaelides, O., Essue, B. M. (co-senior author), Kane, S. (co-senior author), & Di Ruggiero, E.  (co-senior author) (2024). Implementation science research priorities for Universal Health Coverage: Methodological lessons from the design and implementation of a multi-country modified Delphi study. Health Policy and Planning, czae119.
• Di Ruggiero, E., Trindade, T., Gitahi, N. (2024). Part 1 Chapter (2): Historical overview and unrealized potential of primary health care in: World Health Organization Primer on Primary Health Care (https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240090583)
• Amri, M., Carducci, B., Plamondon, K.M., Mac-Seing^, M., Shoveller, J., Di Ruggiero, E. (senior author) (2023). Exploring gender equality and equity in Canadian global health institutions. Book chapter in “Critical Perspectives in Public Health Feminisms; Editor: Renée Monchalin, Canadian Scholars.
• Trowbridge, J., Tan, J., Hussain, S., Babiker Osman, A., Di Ruggiero, E. (senior author) (2022). Understanding Canada’s approach to intersectoral action in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Era; International Journal of Public Health; volume 67 (part of special issue on health in all SDGs)
• Carducci, B. Keats, E., Amri, M., Plamondon, K., Shoveller, J., Ako, O., Osler, G., Henry, C., Pant Pai, N., Di Ruggiero, E (senior author) (2022). Prioritizing gender equity and intersectionality in Canadian global health institutions and partnerships. PLOS Global Health 2(10): e0001105.
• Baoweid, A., Faghani-Hamadani, T., Sauer, S., Neufeld, N., Odhiambo, J., Volmink, J., Schumann, M. (senior co-author), Di Ruggiero, E. (senior co-author), Condo, J. (senior co-author) (2022). Gender equity in health research publishing in Africa. BMJ Global Health. 7: e008821
• Bhatia, D., Mishra, S., Yanful, B., Kirubarajan, A, Allin, S. (co-senior author), Di Ruggiero, E (co-senior author). Financial Risk Protection under Universal Health Coverage (2022). BMJ Open. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/3/e052041.full
• Lee, J., Di Ruggiero, E., (senior author). Informal work and health in the COVID-19 era: Emerging gaps in research from a scoping review and modified e-Delphi survey (2022). International J of Equity and Health. 21(87).
• Di Ruggiero, E., Bhatia, D., Umar, I., Arpin, E., Champagne, C., Clavier, C., Denis, J-L., & Hunter, D. (2021). Governing for the public’s health: Governance options for a strengthened and renewed public health system in Canada. National Collaborating Centres for Public Health.https://nccph.ca/images/uploads/general/OCPHO-Report-Governance-2022-En.pdf (English) and https://nccph.ca/images/uploads/general/OCPHO-Rapport-Gouvernance-2022-Fr.pdf (French)
• Di Ruggiero, E. Global Health Governance in the Sustainable Development Goal Era (2021). Chapter for inclusion in the 2^nd edition of Global Health and Global Health Ethics. Co-Editors: Benatar S. & Brock, G., Cambridge University Press
• Di Ruggiero, E. (2021). Global cooperation in public health needs to centre equity. Health Care Papers; 19(4).
• Di Ruggiero, E., Edwards, N. (2018). The Interplay between Participatory Health Research and Implementation Research: Canadian Research Funding Perspectives. BioMed Research International. DOI: 10.1155/2018/151940
• Craig, P, Di Ruggiero, E., Frohlich, K., Mykhalovskiy, E., & White, M. on behalf of the CIHR-NIHR context guidance authors group (2018): https://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/downloads/FullReport-CIHR-NIHR-01.pdf (Canadian lead, editor and author)
• Di Ruggiero, E. Cohen, J. Cole, D. & Forman, L. (2015). Competing conceptualizations of decent work at the intersection of health, social and economic discourses. Social Science and Medicine. 133:120-127. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.03.026.
• Di Ruggiero, E. Cohen, J. Cole, D. & Forman, L. (2015). Public health agenda setting in a global context: the case of the ILO Decent Work Agenda. American Journal of Public Health. April 2015, Vol. 105, No. 4, pp. e58-e61. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302455.
• Di Ruggiero, E, Cohen, J, Cole, D. (2014). The politics of agenda setting at the global level: key informant interviews regarding the International Labour Organization Decent Work Agenda. Globalization and Health. 10:56; doi:10. 1186/1744-8603-10-56.
• Boutilier, Z., Daibes, I., & Di Ruggiero, E. (Editors). (2011). Global health research case studies: lessons from partnerships addressing health inequities. BMC Int Health Hum Rights. 11(Suppl 2): S2.
• Edwards, N., & Di Ruggiero, E. (2011). Exploring which context matters in the study of health inequities and their mitigation. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 39(SUPPL. 6), 43-49.
• Di Ruggiero, E., Zarowsky, C., Frank, J., Mhatre, S., Aslanyan, G., Perry, A., et al. (2006). Coordinating Canada’s research response to global health challenges: The Global Health Research Initiative. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 97(1), 29-31.
• Etches, V., Frank, J., Di Ruggiero, E., & Manuel, D. (2006). Measuring population health: A review of indicators. Annual Review of Public Health, 27, 29-55.
• Frank, J., Di Ruggiero, E. D., McInnes, R. R., Kramer, M., & Gagnon, F. (2006). Large life-course cohorts for characterizing genetic and environmental contributions: The need for more thoughtful designs. Epidemiology, 17(6), 595-598.
• Frank JW, Di Ruggiero E.  (2003) Public health in Canada: What are the real issues?  Canadian Journal of Public Health; 94(3):190-192.
• Frank JW, Di Ruggiero E. (2003) Prevention: delivering the goods. (Invited article) in Longwoods Review; 2:2-8.

Selected research reports:

• Harding, K, Robinson, S, Salewski, E, Ng, V, Carastathis, J, Mohammed, J, Di Ruggiero, E (senior author) (2024). Measuring What Matters: A Collaborative Approach to Chronic Disease Prevention Program Outcome Measurement. Thunder Bay, Ontario. LDCP Measuring What Matters
• Di Ruggiero, E., Bhatia, D., Umar, I., Arpin, E., Champagne, C., Clavier, C., Denis, J-L., & Hunter, D. (2022). Governing for the public’s health: Governance options for a strengthened and renewed public health system in Canada. National Collaborating Centres for Public Health. https://nccph.ca/images/uploads/general/OCPHO-Report-Governance-2022-En.pdf (English) and https://nccph.ca/images/uploads/general/OCPHO-Rapport-Gouvernance-2022-Fr.pdf (French)
• Sauveplane-Stirling, V., Di Ruggiero, E., Benea, C., Nawaz, E., Aimone, A., Richardson, E., & Sellen, D. (2019). External Review of IDRC’s Food, Environment, and Health (FEH) Program 2015-2020. Retrieved from: https://idl-bnc-idrc.dspacedirect.org/handle/10625/58260 (co-led grant and co-conceptualized work)
• Shiell, A., Di Ruggiero, E. (2009) “Assessing the return on Canada’s public investment in population and public health research: Methods and Metrics in “Making an Impact: A preferred framework and indicators to measure returns on investments in health research”. Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (commissioned report)