Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Faculty Member

Carol Strike Ph.D. , MSc., B.A.

Research Interests

• Harm reduction programs
• HIV/STBBI prevention
• Provider-client relationships
• Mental health programs
• Health services research
• Mixed methods

Education & Training History

PhD – Community Health, University of Toronto (2000)

MSc – Epidemiology, University of Ottawa (1993)

BA – Sociology, University of Waterloo (1989)

Primary Teaching Responsibilities

CHL 5110 – Theory and Practice of Program Evaluation

Honours & Awards

• 2016       Anthony Miller Award for Excellence in Research in Public Health Sciences, DLSPH
• 2016       Paula Goering Collaborative Research and Knowledge Translation Award, CAMH
• 2013       Ross Upshur Thesis Mentorship Award, Joint Centre for Bioethics, U. of Toronto
• 2011       Robin Badgely Teaching Excellence Award, University of Toronto, Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
• 2007      Leadership Award, National Awards for Excellence in Reducing Drug Related Harm, Kaiser Foundation

Current Research Projects

• Examining the impact of unregulated fentanyl adulterated with nonmedical
  benzodiazepines and xylazine on the health of people who use drugs: A sequential explanatory mixed methods study
• Safer supply programs – evaluation of impacts on wellbeing, HIV and COVID prevention and HIV treatment adherence from the perspective of service users and service providers
• Transformative Training for trauma informed care: How to better serve the health care needs of People who use Drugs

Representative Publications

Strike C, Guta A, Schmidt R. Diverting attention away from novel approaches to preventing opioid overdose deaths. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2024 May;43(4):1031-1032. doi: 10.1111/dar.13839. Epub 2024 Mar 26. PMID: 38532558. PA

Long C*, Guimond T, Bayoumi AM, Firestone M, Strike C. The multiple makings of a supervised consumption service in a hospital setting. Int J Drug Policy. 2024 Jan;123:104260. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104260. Epub 2023 Nov 29. PMID: 38035448. SRA

Schmidt RA*, Kaminski N, Kryszajtys DT*, Rudzinski K, Perri M*, Guta A, Bayoumi A, Challacombe L, Hales J, Kenny K, Kolla G, O’Reilly E, Sereda A, Rai N, Strike C. ‘I don’t chase drugs as much anymore, and I’m not dead’: Client reported outcomes associated with safer opioid supply programs in Ontario, Canada. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2023; 42(7): 1825–1837. https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.13745

Rudzinski K*, King K, Guta A, Chan Carusone S, Strike C. “And if my goal is never to leave Casey House?”: The significance of place attachment for patients at a specialty HIV hospital in Toronto, Canada. Health Place. 2023 Aug 16;83:103100. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.103100. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37595542.

Gagnon M, Rudzinski K*, Guta A, Schmidt RA*, Kryszajtys DT*, Kolla G, Strike C. Impact of safer supply programs on injection practices: client and provider experiences in Ontario, Canada. Harm Reduct J. 2023 Jun 28;20(1):81. doi: 10.1186/s12954-023-00817-7. PMID: 37380995; PMCID: PMC10303300.

Rudzinski K*, O’Leary W*, Perri M*, Guimond T, Guta A, Chan Carusone S, Strike C. Community reinforcement approach (CRA) supported with structured recreation therapy: Experiences of people living with HIV in a pilot substance use treatment program at a specialty hospital. Journal of Substance Use and AddictionTreatment. 2023; 147. ISSN 2949-8759, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.josat.2023.208974.

Perri M, Guta A, Kaminski N, Bonn M, Kolla G, Bayoumi A, Challacombe L, Touesnard N, Gagnon M, McDougall P, Strike C. Spotting as a risk mitigation method: A qualitative study comparing organization-based and informal methods. Int J Drug Policy. 2023 Jan;111:103905. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103905. Epub 2022 Nov 12. PMID: 36379109.

Perri M, Schmidt RA, Guta A, Kaminski N, Rudzinski K, Strike C. COVID-19 and the opportunity for gender-responsive virtual and remote substance use treatment and harm reduction services. Int J Drug Policy. 2022 Oct;108:103815. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103815. Epub 2022 Aug 8. PMID: 35969920; PMCID: PMC9359504.

Grey Literature

• Schmidt RA, Guta A, Kaminski N, Kryszajtys D, Perri M, Rudzinski K, Strike C. A Prescription for Safety: A Study of Safer Opioid Supply Programs in Ontario.  University of Toronto, Toronto. 2023. Available at: https://www.nss-aps.ca/sites/default/files/resources/2023-07-A-Prescription-for-Safety.pdf
• Strike C, Miskovic M, Perri M, Xavier J, Edgar J, Buxton J, Challacombe L, Gohil H, Hopkins S, Leece P, Watson, T, Zurba N, and the Working Group on Best Practice for Harm Reduction Programs in Canada. Best Practice Recommendations for Canadian Programs that Provide Harm Reduction Supplies to People Who Use Drugs and are at Risk for HIV, HCV, and Other Harms: 2021. Toronto, ON: Working Group on Best Practice for Harm Reduction Programs in Canada. 2021. Available at: Best practices link
• Kaminski N, Ranger C, Smith C, Bonn M, Perri M, Guta A, Touesnard N, Challacombe L, Kolla G, Gagnon M, Bayoumi AM, McDougall P, Strike C. How to spot someone so they never use alone [comic]. Uploaded October 20, 2021. Available from: https://zenodo.org/record/5593146#.YlLTJshKhPZexploring. and https://youtu.be/KbUwb-pszW4?si=7aO4O8cqlVy2_B1U