Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Faculty Member

Josephine Pui-​Hing Wong

Research Interests

• Community-based action research
• Stigma reduction – HIV, mental illness
• Migration and mental health
• Genders, identities and sexualities
• Intervention and implementation research
• Health disparities among vulnerable populations

Other Affiliations

Board of Directors, The Sex Information and Education Council of Canada (SIECCAN)

CIHR College of Reviewers

Founding Editorial Advisory Board, WITNESS: The Canadian Journal of Critical Nursing Discourse

The Ryerson Center for Immigration and Settlement

Primary Teaching Responsibilities

MN8931 Diversity & Globalization: Urban Health – Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University

NSE31A/B Community Health Nursing – Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University

NSE306 Leadership and Change – Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University

Professional Summary & Appointments

Professor, Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University

Professor (status-only), Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

Professor (Adjunct), Graduate Program in Environmental Studies, York University

Honours & Awards

2019 – The Collaborative Research Award, Ryerson University

2016 – The Social Innovation & Action Research Award, Ryerson University

2015 – Community Partners Award & Induction into Honour Roll, Ontario AIDS Network

2014 – Sue Williams Excellence in Teaching Award, Faculty of Community Services, Ryerson University

2013 – Scholarly Research and Creativity Award, Ryerson University

2007 – Gina Gesser Memorial Award for Academic Excellence and Community Commitment, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto

2007 – Asian Canadian Woman Leadership Award, Asian Community AIDS Services

2006 – Public Health Sciences Research Day Poster Award, University of Toronto

2001 – Outstanding Master Thesis Award, Sigma Theta Tau International Honour Society of

Nomination – The 2012 Award for Methodological Excellence in a Qualitative Doctoral Dissertation (Finalist).

2013-2018 OHTN-CIHR New Investigator Award (Priority Announcement-HIV/AIDS Health Service/Population Health; 5-year award, $60,000/year; total: $300,000)

2006-2009 CIHR – Institute of Gender and Health Doctoral Fellowship (3-year award, $50,000/year; total: $150,000)

2006-2008 CIHR – Health Care, Technology & Place Doctoral Fellowship (2-year award $10,000/year; total: $20,000)

2005-2006 Ontario Graduate Scholarship ($15,000)

Current Research Projects

2019-2021 Strategic Foresights for Canada’s Reconciliation Futures: Engagement of Indigenous and Newcomer Youth, funded by SSHRC. This study aims to explore how newcomer youth respond and contribute to the TRC calls to action and reconciliation; and how critical design methodologies might facilitate dialogue between Indigenous and newcomer youth to advance reconciliation and social change.

2018-2020 WE2CARE: Women Empowerment – Caregiver Acceptance & Resilience E-Learning, funded by RBC Immigrant, Diversity and Inclusion Project Grant. This study taps into digital technology to pilot and evaluate an e-intervention to promote the mental health and resilience of temporary foreign caregivers.

2018-2020 Fractured Families, Fractured Communities, funded by SSHRC. This unique study aims to explore and compare the lived experiences of temporary foreign workers and Indigenous peoples relocating from rural to urban areas in Canada.

2017-2020 Linking Hearts – Advancing Mental Health Care of University Students Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration, funded through the GACD Mental Health Program by CIHR (Canadian team) and NSFC (Chinese team). This implementation study uses a capacity building approach to adapt, implement and evaluate an evidence-informed intervention, Acceptance and Commitment to Empowerment, to reduce stigma of mental illness and promote mental health among university students in China.

2015-2020 Reducing HIV Vulnerabilities and Promoting Resilience Among Self-Identified Heterosexual African, Caribbean and Black Men in Ontario,funded by CIHR Institute of Gender and Health and Ontario HIV Treatment Network. The aim of this team research is to engage African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) heterosexual men and communities in Ontario to enhance heterosexual ACB men’s appreciation of the social conditions that increase HIV vulnerabilities, strengthen their commitment to HIV prevention, and strengthen community networks working to end HIV among ACB communities.

2018-2019 Stakeholder Perspectives on the Wellbeing of Newcomer Young Men in Canada, funded by the Pathways to Property Research Grant. This exploratory study engages community stakeholders to identify and address the mental health needs of  newcomer young men.

Previous studies

2013-2017 Reducing Stigma of Mental Illness among Boys and Men in Asian Communities in Canada: An Innovative and Comprehensive Intervention, funded by Movember Canada Foundation. This study will pilot and evaluate two integrated anti-stigma intervention using an innovative intergenerational, intersectoral, and intercultural approach to build mental health support capacities in Asian communities in Toronto, calgary, and Vancouver.

2015-2016 Supporting the Supporter: Promoting Resilience Among PHA Service Providers, funded by Ontario HIV Treatment Network CBR program. This study will pilot and evaluate the effectiveness of a strength-based intervention in promoting resilience and collective empowerment among people living with HIV/AIDS (PHAs) in the role of service providers.

2014-2015 Story-Sharing for Sexual Health: A culturally relevant intervention to promote South Asian women’s capacity in HIV and STI education, funded by Women’s X’Change Program, Women’s College Hospital. The goal of this community action project is to pilot a ‘story-sharing’ model in which stories developed by South Asian women living with HIV/AIDS will be translated into vignettes for use in HIV prevention peer education and outreach among South Asian young women in Toronto.

2014-2015 Mental Health of Temporary Migrant Workers in Ontario, funded by RBC Immigrant Diversity and Inclusion Project. The purpose of this exploratory study is to use cross-sectional mixed-methods to examine MFW mental health experiences, their potential risk and protective factors, and perceived barriers and facilitators in accessing mental health services.

2013-2015 Youth Engagement to Prevent HIV/STI and Promote Sexual Health Study (YEP Study), funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Catalyst Grant – HIV/AIDS CBR Program, uses a place-based approach to develop research partnerships and strength-focused youth-driven intervention to reduce HIV vulnerabilities and sexual health disparities among young people from socially and economically marginalized communities.

2012-2013 Cultures, Identities, and Voices (CIV): An Exploratory Study on the Growing Up Experiences, Relationships and Sexual Health of Asian Young Women in Toronto, funded by Faculty of Community Services, Ryerson University.

2011-2014 Community Champion HIV/AIDS Advocates Mobilization Project (CHAMP): A Community-based Intervention Study, funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research to address internalized and social stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and build HIV championship.

2012-2013 Pathways to Resiliency: An exploratory study on strength based approaches to HIV prevention and health promotion strategies amongst East and Southeast Asian MSM, funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research.

2011-2013 Asian Migrant Farm Workers (AMFWs) in Ontario: HIV Knowledge, Practices and Health Care Utilization, funded by the Ontario HIV Treatment Network.

2010-2012 Exploring Nursing Educators’ Views and Experiences in Teaching Social Justice, funded by the University of Toronto.

2009-2011 An Evaluation Study of Capacity Building in Family Sex Education Peer Parent Leader Training Programs in the Chinese, Portuguese, and Tamil Communities, funded by Toronto Public Health.

2009-2010 Mobilizing Ethno-racial Community Leaders against HIV/AIDS Stigma and Discrimination, funded by Ontario HIV Treatment Network

Representative Refereed Publications

Wong, J. P., Kteily-Hawa, R., Chambers, L. A., Hari, S., Chikermane, V., Ragulan, S., Islam, S., & Vahabi, M. (2019). Exploring the use of fact-based vs. story-based learning materials for HIV prevention and sexual health promotion: An Exploratory Study with South Asian Women in Toronto, Canada. Health Education Research, 34(1), 27-37. doi:10.1093/her/cyy042

Hilario, C., Oliffe, J., Wong, J. P., Browne, A., & Johnson, J. (2018). “I tend to forget bad things”: Immigrant and refugee young men’s narratives of distress. Health. doi: 10.1177/1363459318763865. [Epub ahead of print]

Guruge, S., Fung, K. P., Sidani, S., Este, D., Morrow, M., McKenzie, K., & Wong, J. P.*(2018). Study Protocol: Mobilizing Asian Men in Canada to Reduce Stigma of Mental Illness. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 71:133-139. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2018.06.009(*Corresponding author)

Vahabi, M., Wong, J. P.& Lofters, A. (2018). Migrant live-in caregivers Mental Health in Canada, Community Mental Health Journal, 54(5), 590-599 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-017-0225-5

Poon, K.-L. M., Wong, J. P.*, Li, A., Manuba, M., Bisignano, A., Owino, M., & Vahabi, M. (2018). HIV-positive MSM’s knowledge of HPV and anal cancer self-sampling: A scoping review. Current Oncology, 25(1), e83-e89. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3747/co.25.3856   (*Corresponding author)

Wong, J. P., Vahabi, M., Miholjcic, J., Tan, V., Owino, M., Li, A., & Poon, K.-L. M. (2018). Knowledge of HPV/cervical cancer and acceptability of HPV self-sampling among women living with HIV: A scoping review. Current Oncology, 25(1), e73-e82. doi:10.7870/cjcmh-2017-027.

Hilario, C., Oliffe, J., Wong, J. P., Browne, A., & Johnson, J. (2018). Just as Canadian as anyone else”?: Experiences of second-class citizenship and the mental health of young immigrant and refugee men in Canada. American Journal of Men’s Health, 12(2):210-220. doi: 10.1177/1557988317743384.

Wong, J. P.,Fung, K, P., & Li, A. T. (2018). Integrative strategies to address complex HIV and mental health syndemic challenges in racialized communities: Insights from the CHAMP Project.The Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, 36(3), 65-70. Advanced online:doi:10.7870/cjcmh-2017-027.

Vahabi, M., Lofters, A., Kim, E., Wong, J. P.,Ellison, L., Graves, E., Glazier, R. H. (2017) Breast cancer screening utilization among women from Muslim majority countries in Ontario, Canada. Preventive Medicine, 105: 176-183.doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2017.09.008

Li, A. T., Fung, K. P., Maticka-Tyndale, E., & Wong, J. P. (2017). Effects of HIV stigma reduction interventions in diasporic communities: Insights from the CHAMP Study. AIDS Care, 24:1-7. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2017.1391982.

Vahabi, M., & Wong, J. P.(2017). Caught between a rock and a hard place: Mental health of migrant live-in caregivers in Canada. BMC Public Health, 17, 498. DOI 10.1186/s12889-017-4431-4

Poon, M. K.-L., Li, A. T., Wong, J. P., & Wang, C. (2017). Queer friendly nation? The experience of Chinese gay immigrants in Canada. China Journal of Social Work, 10(1), 23-38, DOI: 10.1080/17525098.2017.1300354

Wong, J. P.,Macpherson, F., Vahabi, M., & Li, A. (2017). Understanding sexuality and sexual health of Muslim young people in Canada and other Western countries: A scoping review of research literature. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 26(1), 48-59. doi:10.3138/cjhs.261-C1

Hyman, I., Vahabi, M., Bailey, A., Patel, S., Guruge, S., Wilson-Mitchell, K., & Wong, J. P. (2016). Taking action on violence through research, policy, and practice. Global Health Research and Policy, 1(6).doi: 10.1186/s41256-016-0006-7

Li, A. T., Wong,J. P., Cain, R. & Fung, K. P. (2016) Engaging African, Caribbean, Asian, and Latino community leaders to address HIV stigma in Toronto. International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, 12(4), 288-300.

Wong, J. P.& Li, A. T. (2015) The Exclusionary Circle Game: A tool to promote critical dialogue about HIV stigma and social justice. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 91(3), 431-438.

Hilario, C., Oliffe, J., Wong, J. P., Browne, A., & Johnson, J. (2015). Migration and young people’s mental health in Canada: A scoping review. Journal of Mental Health, 24(6),414-422.doi: 10.3109/09638237.2015.1078881

Chen, Y. Y. B., Li, A. T., Fung, K. P., & Wong, J. P. (2015). Improving access to mental health services for racialized immigrants, refugees, and non-status persons living with HIV/AIDS, Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 26(2), 505-518. doi: 10.1353/hpu.2015.0049

Li, A. T., Wales, J., Wong, J. P., Owino, M., Perreault, Y., Maseko, P., & Guiang, C. (2015). Changing access to mental health care and social support when PHAs become service providers. AIDS Care, 27(2), 176-181, DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2014.940269

Narushima, M., Wong, J. P., Li, A., & Sutdhibhasilp, N. (2014). Sustainable empowerment and capacity building among immigrant communities: An evaluation case study of Raising Sexually Healthy Children Program in Canada. Health Promotion International, 29(1), 26-37, doi: 10.1093/heapro/dat035

Wong, J. P., Li, A. T., Poon, M. K-L., & Fung, K. P. (2013). An exploratory study on the determinants of mental health among immigrants, refugees and non-status people living with HIV in Toronto. International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, 9(3), 122-134. Doi: 10.1108/IJMHSC-07-2013-0026

Poon, M. K.-L., Wong, J. P. H., Sutdhibhasilp, N., Ho, P. T. T., & Wong, B. (2013). Sexual practices and sex-seeking behaviours among East and Southeast Asian men who have sex with men in Toronto: Implications for HIV prevention. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 22 (2): 77-85.

Narushima, M., Wong, J. P., Li, A., & Sutdhibhasilp, N. (2013). Sustainable empowerment and capacity building among immigrant communities: An evaluation case study of Raising Sexually Healthy Children program in Canada. Health Promotion International. [Online June 2013] doi: 10.1093/heapro/dat035

Wong, J. P., & Poon, M. K.-L. (2012). Challenging homophobia and heterosexism through critical dialogue and storytelling among Chinese immigrant parents. Culture, Health & Sexuality: An International Journal for Research, Intervention and Care, 15(1),15-28. doi: 10.1080/13691058.2012.738310.

Wong, J. P., Chan, K. B., Boi-Doku, R., & McWatt, S. (2012). Sexual stigma and discourses of morality as barriers to accessing sexual health care among young women in Toronto. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 21(2), 75-89.

Poon, M. K.-L., Wong, J. P., Sutdhibhasilp, N., Ho, P. T. T., & Wong, B. (2012). Drug use and STI/HIV risk among East and Southeast Asian men who have sex with men in Toronto. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 21 (3/4), 127-133.

Poon, M. K.-L., Wong, J. P., Sutdhibhasilp, N., Ho, P. T. T., & Wong, B. (2011). HIV and STI testing among East and Southeast Asian men who have sex with men in Toronto. Journal of Human Sexuality, 20(4), 157-158.

Poon, M. K.-L., Wong, J. P., Sutdhibhasilp, N., Ho, P. T., & Wong, B. (2011). Condom use among East and Southeast Asian men attending gay bathhouses in Toronto. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 20(3), 67-74.

Wong, J. P., & Poon, M. K. L. (2010). Bringing translation out of the shadow: Translation as an issue of methodological significance in cross-cultural qualitative research. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 21(2), 151-158.