Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Faculty Member

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

Research Interests

• Harm reduction programs
• Addiction treatment programs
• 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)

Other Affiliations

• Scientist, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital

Primary Teaching Responsibilities

CHL 5005 Professional Skills for Doctoral Students in Public Health

Professional Summary & Appointments

Canadian Association of HIV Researchers, Past-President

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

• Spotting – evaluation of an overdose and COVID 19 prevention program developed and delivered by people who use drugs
• 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
• Update of the Best Practice Recommendations for Harm Reduction Programs in Canada
• Community reinforcement and recreation therapy for people living with HIV who use drugs – a pilot study
• Supervised injection services within hospital – feasibility and acceptability

Representative Publications

• Perri M*, Kaminski N, Bonn M, Kolla G, Guta A, Bayoumi AM, Challacombe L, Gagnon M, Touesnard N, McDougall P, Strike C. A qualitative study on overdose response in the era of COVID-19 and beyond: how to spot someone so they never have to use alone. Harm Reduct J. 2021 Aug 5;18(1):85. doi: 10.1186/s12954-021-00530-3. PMID: 34353323; PMCID: PMC8339679.  see also animation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbUwb-pszW4
• 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
• Strike C, Miskovic M, Perri M, Xavier J, Edgar J, Buxton J, Challacombe L, Gohil H, Hopkins S, Leece P, Watson, T, Zurba N et le Groupe de travail sur les pratiques exemplaires pour les programmes de reduction des mefaits au Canada. Recommandations de pratiques exemplaires pour les programmes canadiens qui fournissent du matériel de réduction des méfaits aux personnes qui consommentdes drogues et qui sont à risque pour le VIH, le VHC et d’autres méfaits pour la santé : 2021. Toronto, ON : Groupe de travail sur les pratiques exemplaires pour les programmes de reduction des mefaits au Canada. Recommandations-de-pratiques-exemplaires link
• Strike C, Watson TM, Altenberg J, Barnaby L, Bayoumi AM, Challacombe L, Demel G, Hopkins S, Wright A. Challenges, Skepticism, and Recommendations from Police about Working in Collaboration with Supervised Consumption Services. Subst Use Misuse. 2020;55(12):1919-1924. doi:10.1080/10826084.2020.1781177.
• Strike C, Robinson S, Guta A, Tan DH, O’Leary B, Cooper C, Upshur R, Chan Carusone S. Illicit drug use while admitted to hospital: Patient and health care provider perspectives. PLoS One. 2020 Mar 5;15(3):e0229713. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0229713. eCollection 2020. PubMed PMID: 32134973; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7058273.
• Watson TM, Barnaby L, Bayoumi AM, Challacome L, Wright A, Strike C. “This is a health service. Leave it alone”: Service user and staff views on policing boundaries involving supervised consumption services. Addiction Research and Theory. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1080/16066359.2020.1730821 [SRA]
• Foreman-Mackey A. Bayoumi A, Miskovic M, Kolla G, Strike C. “It’s Our Safe Sanctuary”: Experiences of Using an Unsanctioned Overdose Prevention Site in Toronto, Ontario. International Journal of Drug Policy, 2019; 73:135-140. [SRA]
• Strike C, Watson TM. Losing the uphill battle? Emergent harm reduction interventions and barriers during the opioid overdose crisis in Canada. Int J Drug Policy. 2019: 71:178-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.02.005. [PA].
• Bayoumi AM, Strike C. Making the case for supervised consumption. The Lancet. 2016 May; 387:1890-1891.